"Berry  well,  now  look  him  through,"  said  the  black, 
peeping  over  the  housekeeper's  shoulder  as  he  held  a 
long  lank  candle  of  yellow  tallow  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  throw  its  feeble  light  on  the  volume. 


THE  SPY 


BY 


J.  FENIMORE  COOPER 


CURRENT  LITERATURE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK 


INTRODUCTION 

"Breathes  there  the  man,  with  soul  so  dead. 
Who  never  to  himself  hath  said. 
This  is  my  own,  my  native  land!" 

THE  author  has  often  been  asked  if  there  were  any 
foundation  in  real  life  for  the  delineation  of  the  prin 
cipal  character  in  this  book.  He  can  give  no  clearer 
answer  to  the  question  than  by  laying  before  his  readers 
a  simple  statement  of  the  facts  connected  with  its  origi 
nal  publication. 

Many  years  since,  the  writer  of  this  volume  was  at  the 
residence  of  an  illustrious  man,  who  had  been  employed 
in  various  situations  of  high  trust  during  the  darkest 
days  of  the  American  Revolution.  The  discourse  turned 
upon  the  effects  which  great  political  excitement  pro 
duces  on  character,  and  the  purifying  consequences  of  a 
love  of  country,  when  that  sentiment  is  powerfully  and 
generally  awakened  in  a  people.  He  who,  from  his 
years,  his  services,  and  his  knowledge  of  men,  was  best 
qualified  to  take  the  lead  in  such  a  conversation,  was  the 
principal  speaker.  After  dwelling  on  the  marked  man 
ner  in  which  the  great  struggle  of  the  nation,  during  the 
war  of  1775,  had  given  a  new  and  honorable  direction 
to  the  thoughts  and  practices  of  multitudes  whose  time 
had  formerly  been  engrossed  by  the  most  vulgar  concerns 
of  life,  he  illustrated  his  opinions  by  relating  an  anec 
dote,  the  truth  of  v/hich  he  could  attest  as  a  personal 
witness. 

iii 


iv  INTRODUCTION 

The  dispute  between  England  and  the  United  States  of 
America,  though  not  strictly  a  family  quarrel,  had  many 
of  the  features  of  a  civil  war.  The  people  of  the  latter 
were  never  properly  and  constitutionally  subject  to  the 
people  of  the  former,  but  the  inhabitants  of  both  coun 
tries  owed  allegiance  to  a  common  king.  The  Americans, 
as  a  nation,  disavowed  this  allegiance,  and  the  English 
choosing  to  support  their  sovereign  in  the  attempt  to 
regain  his  power,  most  of  the  feelings  of  an  internal 
struggle  were  involved  in  the  conflict.  A  large  propor 
tion  of  the  emigrants  from  Europe,  then  established  in 
the  colonies,  took  part  with  the  crown;  and  there  were 
many  districts  in  which  their  influence,  united  to  that  of 
the  Americans  who  refused  to  lay  aside  their  allegiance, 
gave  a  decided  preponderance  to  the  royal  cause.  America 
was  then  too  young,  and  too  much  in  need  of  every  heart 
and  hand,  to  regard  these  partial  divisions,  small  as  they 
were  in  actual  amount,  with  indifference.  The  evil  was 
greatly  increased  by  the  activity  of  the  English  in 
profiting  by  these  internal  dissensions;  and  it  became 
doubly  serious  when  it  was  found  that  attempts  were 
made  to  raise  various  corps  of  provincial  troops,  who 
were  to  be  banded  with  those  from  Europe,  to  reduce  the 
young  republic  to  subjection.  Congress  named  an  espe 
cial  and  a  secret  committee,  therefore,  for  the  express 
purpose  of  defeating  this  object.  Of  this  committee  Mr. 

— ,  the  narrator  of  the  anecdote,  was  chairman. 

In  the  discharge  of  the  novel  duties  which  now  de 
volved  on  him,  Mr.  had  occasion  to  employ  an 

agent,  whose  services  differed  but  little  from  those  of  a 
common  spy.  This  man,  as  will  easily  be  understood, 
belonged  to  a  condition  in  life  which  rendered  him  the 
least  reluctant  to  appear  in  so  equivocal  a  character. 
He  was  poor,  ignorant,  so  far  as  the  usual  instruction 


INTRODUCTION  v 

was  concerned;  but  cool,  shrewd,  and  fearless  by  nature. 
It  was  his  office  to  learn  in  what  part  of  the  country  the 
agents  of  the  crown  were  making  their  efforts  to  embody 
men,  to  repair  to  the  place,  enlist,  appear  zealous  in  the 
cause  he  affected  to  serve,  and  otherwise  to  get  possession 
of  as  many  of  the  secrets  of  the  enemy  as  possible.  The 
last  he  of  course  communicated  to  his  employers,  who 
took  all  the  means  in  their  power  to  counteract  the  plans 
of  the  English,  and  frequently  with  success. 

It  will  readily  be  conceived  that  a  service  like  this  was 
attended  with  great  personal  hazard.     In  addition  to  the 
danger  of  discovery,  there  was  the  daily  risk  of  falling 
into  the  hands  of  the  Americans  themselves,  who  invari 
ably  visited   sins  of  this  nature  more  severely  on  the 
natives  of  the  country,  than  on  the  Europeans  who  fell 
into  their   hands.     In  fact,  the  agent  of  Mr.  -   -  was 
several  times  arrested  by  the  local  authorities;  and,  in 
one  instance,  he  was  actually  condemned  by  his  exasper 
ated   countrymen  to  the  gallows.     Speedy  and   private 
orders  to  the  jailer  alone  saved  him  from  an  ignominious 
death.     He  was  permitted  to  escape;  and  this  seemin 
and  indeed  actual  peril  was  of  great  aid  in  supporting 
his    assumed    character    among   the    English. 
Americans,  in  his  little  sphere,  he  was  denounced  as  t 
bold  and  inveterate  Tory.     In  this  manner  he  conl 
to  serve  his  country  in  secret  during  the  early  years 
the  struggle,  hourly  environed  by  danger,  and 
stant  subject  of  unmerited  opprobrium. 

In  the  year  -  -,  Mr.  -    -  was  named  to  a  h.gh  am 
honorable    employment  at    a    European   court 
vacating  his  seat  in  Congress,  he  reported  to 
an  outline  of  circumstances  related,  necessanly  . 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

so  great  risk.  A  suitable  sum  was  voted;  and  its  deliv 
ery  was  confided  to  the  chairman  of  the  secret  committee. 

Mr. took  the  necessary  means  to  summon  his 

agent  to  a  personal  interview.  They  met  in  a  wood,  at 
midnight.  Here  Mr.  -  -  complimented  his  companion 
on  his  fidelity  and  adroitness;  explained  the  necessity  of 
their  communications  being  closed;  and  finally  tendered 
the  money.  The  other  drew  back,  and  declined  receiving 
it.  "The  county  has  need  of  all  its  means,"  he  said; 
"as  for  myself,  I  can  work,  or  gain  a  livelihood  in 
various  ways."  Persuasion  was  useless,  for  patriotism 
was  uppermost  in  the  heart  of  this  remarkable  indi 
vidual;  and  Mr.  departed,  bearing  with  him  the 

gold  he  had  brought,  and  a  deep  respect  for  the  man  who 
had  so  long  hazarded  his  life,  unrequited,  for  the  cause 
they  served  in  common. 

The  writer  is  under  an  impression  that,  at  a  later  day 

the  agent  of  Mr. consented  to  receive  a  remuneration 

for  what  he  had  done;  but  it  was  not  until  his  country 
was  entirely  in  a  condition  to  bestow  it. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that  an  anecdote  like 
this,  simply  but  forcibly  told  by  one  of  its  principal 
actors,  made  a  deep  impression  on  all  who  heard  it. 
Many  years  later,  circumstances,  which  it  is  unnecessary 
to  relate,  and  of  an  entirely  adventitious  nature,  induced 
the  writer  to  publish  a  novel,  which  proved  to  be,  what 
he  little  foresaw  at  the  time,  the  first  of  a  tolerably  long 
series.  The  same  adventitious  causes  which  gave  birth 
to  the  book,  determined  its  scene  and  its  general  charac 
ter.  The  former  was  laid  in  a  foreign  country;  and  the 
latter  embraced  a  crude  effort  to  describe  foreign  man 
ners.  When  this  tale  was  published,  it  became  matter 
of  reproach  among  the  author's  friends,  that  he,  an 
American  in  heart  as  in  birth,  should  give  to  the  world 


INTRODUCTION 


VII 


a  work  which  aided  perhaps,  in  some  slight  degree,  to 
feed  the  imaginations  of  the  young  and  unpracticed 
among  his  own  countrymen,  by  pictures  drawn  from  a 
state  of  society  so  different  from  that  to  which  he  be 
longed.  The  writer,  while  he  knew  how  much  of  what 
he  had  done  was  purely  accidental,  felt  the  reproach  to 
be  one  that,  in  a  measure,  was  just.  As  the  only  atone 
ment  in  his  power,  he  determined  to  inflict  a  second 
book,  whose  subject  should  admit  of  no  cavil,  not  only  on 
the  world,  but  on  himself.  He  chose  patriotism  for  his 
theme;  and  to  those  who  read  this  introduction  and  the 
book  itself,  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that  he  took 
the  hero  of  the  anecdote  just  related  as  the  best  illustra 
tion  of  his  subject. 

Since  the  original  publication  of  "The  Spy,"  there 
have  appeared  several  accounts  of  different  persons  who 
are  supposed  to  have  been  in  the  author's  mind  while 
writing  the  book.  As  Mr.  -  -  did  not  mention  ti  •> 
name  of  his  agent,  the  writer  never  knew  any  more  of  his 
identity  with  this  or  that  individual,  than  has  been  here 
explained.  Both  Washington  and  Sir  Henry  Clinton  had 
an  unusual  number  of  secret  emissaries;  in  a  war  that 
partook  so  much  of  a  domestic  character,  and  in  which 
the  contending  parties  were  people  of  the  same  blood  and 
language,  it  could  scarcely  be  otherwise. 

The  style  of  the  book  has  been  revised  by  the  author  ii 
this  edition.     In  this  respect,  he  has  endeavored  to  make 
it  more  worthy   of  the  favor  with  which   it  has  been 
received;  though  he   is  compelled   to   admit  there  i 
faults  so  interwoven  with  the  structure  of  the  tale  t 
as  in  the  case  of  a  decayed  edifice,  it  would  cost  pert 
less   to   reconstruct    than   to    repair.     Five-and-twen 
years  have  been  as  age3  with  most  things  connected  wH 
America.     Among  other  advantages,  that  of  her  1 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

ture  has  not  been  the  least.  So  little  was  expected  from 
the  publication  of  an  original  work  of  this  description, 
at  the  time  it  was  written,  that  the  first  volume  of  "The 
Spy"  was  actually  printed  several  months  before  the 
author  felt  a  sufficient  inducement  to  write  a  line  of  the 
second.  The  efforts  expended  on  a  hopeless  task  are 
rarely  worthy  of  him  who  makes  them,  however  low  it 
may  be  necessary  to  rate  the  standard  of  his  general 
merit. 

One  other  anecdote  connected  with  the  history  of  this 
book  may  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  hopes  of  an 
American  author,  in  the  first  quarter  of  the  present  cen 
tury.  As  the  second  volume  was  slowly  printing,  from 
manuscript  that  was  barely  dry  when  it  went  into  the 
compositor's  hands,  the  publisher  intimated  that  the 
work  might  grow  to  a  length  that  would  consume  the 
profits.  To  set  his  mind  at  rest,  the  last  chapter  was 
actually  written,  printed,  and  paged,  several  weeks  be- 
lore  the  chapters  which  preceded  it  were  even  thought 
of.  This  circumstance,  while  it  cannot  excuse,  may 
serve  to  explain  the  manner  in  which  the  actors  are  hur 
ried  off  the  scene. 

A  great  change  has  come  over  the  country  since  this 
book  was  originally  written.  The  nation  is  passing  from 
the  gristle  into  the  bone,  and  the  common  mind  is  begin 
ning  to  keep  even  pace  with  the  growth  of  the  body 
politic.  The  march  from  Vera  Cruz  to  Mexico  was  made 
under  the  orders  of  that  gallant  soldier  who,  a  quarter  of 
a  century  before,  was  mentioned  with  honor,  in  the  last 
chapter  of  this  very  book.  Glorious  as  was  that  march, 
and  brilliant  as  were  its  results  in  a  military  point  of 
view,  a  stride  was  then  made  by  the  nation,  in  a  moral 
sense,  that  has  hastened  it  by  an  age,  in  its  progress 
toward  real  independence  and  high  political  influence. 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

The  guns  that  filled  the  valley  of  the  Aztecs  with  their 
thunder,  have  been  heard  in  echoes  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Atlantic,  producing  equally  hope  or  apprehension. 

There  is  now  no  enemy  to  fear,  but  the  one  that  resides 
within.  By  accustoming  ourselves  to  regard  even  the 
people  as  erring  beings,  and  by  using  the  restraints  that 
wisdom  has  adduced  from  experience,  there  is  much 
reason  to  hope  that  the  same  Providence  which  has  so 
well  aided  us  in  our  infancy,  may  continue  to  smile  on 
our  manhood. 

COOPERSTOWN,  March  29,  1849. 


THE    SPY 


CHAPTER  I 


And  though  amidst  the  calm  of  thought  entire. 
Some  high  and  haughty  features  might  betray 

A  soul  impetuous  once— 'twas  earthly  lire 
That  fled  composure's  intellectual  ray, 
As  Etna's  fires  grow  dim  before  the  rising  day." 

—GERTRUDE  OF  WYOMING. 

IT  was  near  the  close  of  the  year  1780,  that  a  solitary 
traveller  was  seen  pursuing  his  way  through  one  of  the 
numerous  little  valleys  of  West-Chester.1  The  easterly 
wind,  with  its  chilling  dampness  and  increasing  violence, 
gave  unerring  notice  of  the  approach  of  a  storm,  which, 
as  usual,  might  be  expected  to  continue  for  several  days: 
and  the  experienced  eye  of  the  traveller  was  turned  in 
vain,  through  the  darkness  of  the  evening,  in  quest  of 
some  convenient  shelter,  in  which,  for  the  term  of  his 
confinement  by  the  rain  that  already  began  to  mix  with 
the  atmosphere  in  a  thick  mist,  he  might  obtain  such 
accommodations  as  his  purposes  required.  Nothing  how 
ever  offered  but  the  small  and  inconvenient  tenements  of 
the  lower  order  of  the  inhabitants,  with  whom,  in  that 
immediate  neighborhood,  he  did  not  think  it  either  safe 
or  politic  to  trust  himself. 

The  county  of  West-Chester,  after  the  British  had  ob 
tained  possession  of  the  island  of  New  York,'  became 


each  State  of  the  American  Union  has  its  own  counties ,  it .often i  h«p- 


the     island  or  Mannattan.       ine  u  I;.I«;,H- nr  the  city 

ity  of  Corlear's  Hook,  while  the  last  embraces  the  whole  island,  or 
county  of  New  York  as  it  is  termed  in  the  laws. 


2  THE   SPY 

common  ground,  in  which  both  parties  continued  to  act 
for  the  remainder  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  A  large 
proportion  of  its  inhabitants,  either  restrained  by  their 
attachments,  or  influenced  by  their  fears,  affected  a  neu 
trality  they  did  not  feel.  The  lower  towns  were,  of 
course,  more  particularly  under  the  dominion  of  the 
crown,  while  the  upper,  finding  a  security  from  the  vicin 
ity  of  the  continental  troops,  were  bold  in  asserting  their 
revolutionary  opinions,  and  their  right  to  govern  them 
selves.  Great  numbers,  however,  wore  masks,  which 
even  to  this  day  have  not  been  thrown  aside;  and  many 
an  individual  has  gone  down  to  the  tomb,  stigmatized  as 
a  foe  to  the  rights  of  his  countrymen,  while  in  secret  he 
has  been  the  useful  agent  of  the  leaders  of  the  Revolu 
tion;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  could  the  hidden  reposi 
tories  of  divers  flaming  patriots  have  been  opened  to  the 
light  of  day,  royal  protections  would  have  been  discov 
ered  concealed  under  piles  of  British  gold. 

At  the  sound  of  the  tread  of  the  noble  horse  ridden  by 
the  traveller,  the  mistress  of  the  farmhouse  he  was  pass 
ing  at  the  time,  might  be  seen  cautiously  opening  the 
door  of  the  building  to  examine  the  stranger:  and  per 
haps,  with  an  averted  face  communicating  the  result  of 
her  observations  to  her  husband,  who,  in  the  rear  of  the 
building,  was  prepared  to  seek,  if  necessary,  his  ordinary 
place  of  concealment  in  the  adjacent  woods.  The  valley 
was  situated  about  midway  in  the  length  of  the  county, 
and  was  sufficiently  near  to  both  armies  to  make  the 
restitution  of  stolen  goods  no  uncommon  occurrence  in 
that  vicinity.  It  is  true,  the  same  articles  were  not 
always  regained ;  but  a  summary  substitute  was  generally 
resorted  to,  in  the  absence  of  legal  justice,  which  re 
stored  to  the  loser  the  amount  of  his  loss,  and  frequently 
with  no  inconsiderable  addition  for  the  temporary  use  of 
his  property.  In  short,  the  law  was  momentarily  extinct 
in  that  particular  district,  and  justice  was  administered 
subject  to  the  bias  of  personal  interests  and  the  passions 
of  the  strongest. 

The  passage  of  a  stranger,  with  an  appearance  of  some 
what  doubtful  character,  and  mounted  on  an  animal 
which,  although  unfurnished  with  any  of  the  ordinary 


THE  SPY  3 

trappings  of  war,  partook  largely  of  the  bold  and  up 
right  carriage  that  distinguished  his  rider,  gave  rise  to 
many  surmises  among  the  gazing  inmates  of  the  different 
habitations;  and  in  some  instances,  where  conscience  was 
more  than  ordinarily  awake,  to  no  little  alarm. 

Tired  with  the  exercise  of  a  day  of  unusual  fatigue, 
and  anxious  to  obtain  a  speedy  shelter  from  the  increas 
ing  violence  of  the  storm,  that  now  began  to  change  its 
character  to  large  drops  of  driving  rain,  the  traveller 
determined,  as  a  matter  of  necessity,  to  make  an  applica 
tion  for  admission  to  the  next  dwelling  that  offered. 
An  opportunity  was  not  long  wanting;  and,  riding 
through  a  pair  of  neglected  bars,  he  knocked  loudly  at 
the  outer  door  of  a  building  of  a  very  humble  exterior, 
without  quitting  his  saddle.  A  female  of  middle  age, 
with  an  outward  bearing  but  little  more  prepossessing 
than  that  of  her  dwelling,  appeared  to  answer  the  sum 
mons.  The  startled  woman  half  closed  her  door  again  in 
affright,  as  she  saw,  by  the  glare  of  a  large  wood  fire,  a 
mounted  man  so  unexpectedly  near  its  threshold ;  and  an 
expression  of  terror  mingled  with  her  natural  curiosity, 
as  she  required  his  pleasure. 

Although  the  door  was  too  nearly  closed  to  admit  of  a 
minute  scrutiny  of  the  accommodations  within,  enough 
had  been  seen  to  cause  the  horseman  to  endeavor,  once 
more,  to  penetrate  the  gloom,  with  longing  eyes,  in 
search  of  a  more  promising  roof,  before,  with  an  ill-con 
cealed  reluctance,  he  stated  his  necessities  and  wishes. 
His  request  was  listened  to  with  evident  unwillingness, 
and,  while  yet  unfinished,  it  was  eagerly  interrupted  by 
the  reply: 

"I  can't  say  I  like  to  give  lodgings  to  a  stranger  i 
these  ticklish  times,"  said  the  female,  in  a  pert,  sharp 
key;  "I'm  nothing  but  a  forlorn  lone  body;  or,  wnz 
the  same  thing,  there's  nobody  but  the  old  gentleman  a 
home;  but  a  half  mile  farther  up  the  road 
where  you  can  get  entertainment,  and  that  for  not 
I  am  sure  'twill  be  much  convenienter  to  them,  and 
agreeable  to  me— because,  as  I  said  before,  Harvey  i 
away;  I  wish  he'd  take  advice,  and  leave  off  wanden 
he's  well  to  do  in  the  world,  by  this  time;  and  he  ought 


4  THE   SPY 

to  leave  off  his  uncertain  courses,  and  settle  himself, 
handsomely,  in  life,  like  other  men  of  his  years  and  prop 
erty.  But  Harvey  Birch  will  have  his  own  way,  and  die 
vagabond  after  all!" 

The  horseman  did  not  wait  to  hear  more  than  the  ad 
vice  to  pursue  his  course  up  the  road ;  but  he  had  slowly 
turned  his  horse  towards  the  bars,  and  was  gathering  the 
folds  of  an  ample  cloak  around  his  manly  form,  prepara 
tory  to  facing  the  storm  again,  when  something  in  the 
speech  of  the  female  suddenly  arrested  the  movement. 

"Is  this,  then,  the  dwelling  of  Harvey  Birch?"  he  in 
quired,  in  an  involuntary  manner,  apparently  checking 
himself,  as  he  was  about  to  utter  more. 

"Why,  one  can  hardly  say  it  is  his  dwelling,"  replied 
the  other,  drawing  a  hurried  breath,  like  one  eager  to  an 
swer;  "he  is  never  in  it,  or  so  seldom,  that  I  hardly 
remember  his  face,  when  he  does  think  it  worth  his  while 
to  show  it  to  his  poor  old  father  and  me.  But  it  mat 
ters  little  to  me,  I'm  sure,  if  he  ever  comes  back  again, 
or  not;  turn  in  the  first  gate  on  your  left;  no,  I  care  but 
little,  for  my  part,  whether  Harvey  ever  shows  his  face 
again  or  not — not  I" — and  she  closed  the  door  abruptly 
on  the  horseman,  who  gladly  extended  his  ride  a  half 
mile  farther,  to  obtain  lodgings  which  promised  both 
more  comfort  and  greater  security. 

Sufficient  light  yet  remained  to  enable  the  traveller  to 
distinguish  the  improvements  *  which  had  been  made  in 
the  cultivation,  and  in  the  general  appearance  of  the 
grounds  around  the  building  to  which  he  was  now 
approaching.  The  house  was  of  stone,  long,  low,  and 
with  a  small  wing  at  each  extremity.  A  piazza,  extend 
ing  along  the  front,  with  neatly  turned  pillars  of  wood, 
together  with  the  good  order  and  preservation  of  the 
fences  and  out-buildings,  gave  the  place  an  air  altogether 
superior  to  the  common  farm-houses  of  the  country. 
After  leading  his  horse  behind  an  angle  of  the  wall, 
where  it  was  in  some  degree  protected  from  the  wind  and 


1  Improvements  is  used  by  the  Americans  to  express  every  degree  of  change 
in  converting  land  from  its  state  of  wilderness  to  that  of  cultivation.  In  this 
meaning  of  the  word,  it  is  an  improvement  to  fell  the  trees;  and  it  is  valued 
precisely  by  the  supposed  amount  of  the  cost. 


THE  SPY  5 

rain,  the  traveller  threw  his  valise  over  his  arm  and 
knocked  loudly  at  the  entrance  of  the  building  for  admis 
sion.  An  aged  black  soon  appeared;  and  without  seem 
ing  to  think  it  necessary,  under  the  circumstances  to 
consult  his  superiors— first  taking  one  prying  look  at  the 
applicant,  by  the  light  of  the  candle  in  his  hand— he 
acceded  to  the  request  for  accommodations.  The  trav 
eller  was  shown  into  an  extremely  neat  parlor,  where  a 
fire  had  been  lighted  to  cheer  the  dulness  of  an  easterly 
storm  and  an  October  evening.  After  giving  the  valise 
into  the  keeping  of  his  civil  attendant,  and  politely 
repeating  his  request  to  the  old  gentleman,  who  arose  to 
receive  him,  and  paying  his  compliments  to  the  three 
ladies  who  were  seated  at  work  with  their  needles,  the 
stranger  commenced  laying  aside  some  of  the  outer  gar 
ments  which  he  had  worn  in  his  ride. 

On  taking  an  extra  handkerchief  from  his  neck,  and 
removing  a  cloak  of  blue  cloth,  with  a  surtout  of  the 
same  material,  he  exhibited  to  the  scrutiny  of  the 
observant  family  party,  a  tall  and  extremely  graceful 
person,  of  apparently  fifty  years  of  age.  His  counte 
nance  evinced  a  settled  composure  and  dignity;  his  nose 
was  straight,  and  approaching  to  Grecian;  his  eye,  of  a 
gray  color,  was  quiet,  thoughtful,  and  rather  melan 
choly;  the  mouth  and  lower  part  of  his  face  being  expres 
sive  of  decision  and  much  character.  His  dress,  being 
suited  to  the  road,  was  simple  and  plain,  but  such  as  was 
worn  by  the  higher  class  of  his  countrymen;  he  wore  his 
own  hair,  dressed  in  a  manner  that  gave  a  military  air  to 
his  appearance,  and  which  was  rather  heightened  by  his 
erect  and  conspicuously  graceful  carriage.  His  whole 
appearance  was  so  impressive  and  so  decidedly  that  of  a 
gentleman,  that  as  he  finished  laying  aside  the  garments, 
the  ladies  arose  from  their  seats,  and,  together  with  the 
master  of  the  house,  they  received  anew,  and  returned 
the  complimentary  greetings  which  were  again  offered. 

The  host  was  by  several  years  the  senior  of  the  trav 
eller,  and  by  his  manner,  dress,  and  everything  around 
him,    showed   he   had   seen  much  of  life  and  the 
society.     The  ladies  were,  a  maiden  of  forty,  and  two 
much   younger,    who    did    not    seem,    indeed,   to  have 


6  THE   SPY 

reached  half  those  years.  The  bloom  of  the  elder  of  these 
ladies  had  vanished,  but  her  eyes  and  fine  hair  gave  an 
extremely  agreeable  expression  to  her  countenance;  and 
there  was  a  softness  and  an  affability  in  her  deportment, 
that  added  a  charm  many  more  juvenile  faces  do  not  pos 
sess.  The  sisters,  for  such  the  resemblance  between  the 
younger  females  denoted  them  to  be,  were  in  all  the 
pride  of  youth,  and  the  roses,  so  eminently  the  property 
of  the  West-Chester  fair,  glowed  on  their  cheeks,  and 
lighted  their  deep  blue  eyes  with  that  lustre  which  gives 
so  much  pleasure  to  the  beholder,  and  which  indicates  so 
much  internal  innocence  and  peace.  There  was  much  of 
that  feminine  delicacy  in  the  appearance  of  the  three, 
which  distinguishes  the  sex  in  this  country;  and,  like  the 
gentleman,  their  demeanor  proved  them  to  be  women  of 
the  higher  order  of  life. 

After  handing  a  glass  of  excellent  Madeira  to  his 
guest,  Mr.  Wharton,  for  so  was  the  owner  of  this  retired 
estate  called,  resumed  his  seat  by  the  fire,  with  another 
in  his  own  hand.  For  a  moment  he  paused,  as  if  debat 
ing  with  his  politeness,  but  at  length  threw  an  inquiring 
glance  on  the  stranger,  as  he  inquired: 

"To  whose  health  am  I  to  have  the  honor  of  drink 
ing?" 

The  traveller  had  also  seated  himself,  and  he  sat  un 
consciously  gazing  on  the  fire,  while  Mr.  Wharton  spoke; 
turning  his  eyes  slowly  on  his  host  with  a  look  of  close 
observation,  he  replied,  while  a  faint  tinge  gathered  on 
his  features: 

"Mr.  Harper." 

"Mr.  Harper,"  resumed  the  other,  with  the  formal 
precision  of  that  day,  "I  have  the  honor  to  drink  your 
health,  and  to  hope  you  will  sustain  no  injury  from  the 
rain  to  which  you  have  been  exposed." 

Mr.  Harper  bowed  in  silence  to  the  compliment,  and 
he  soon  resumed  the  meditations  from  which  he  had  been 
interrupted,  and  for  which  the  long  ride  he  had  that  day 
made,  in  the  wind,  might  seem  a  very  natural  apology. 

The  young  ladies  had  again  taken  their  seats  beside  the 
workstand,  while  their  aunt,  Miss  Jeanette  Peyton,  with 
drew  to  superintend  the  preparations  necessary  to  appease 


THE  SPY  7 

the  hunger  of  their  unexpected  visitor.  A  short  silence 
prevailed,  during  which  Mr.  Harper  was  apparently 
enjoying  the  change  in  his  situation,  when  Mr.  Wharton 
again  broke  it,  by  inquiring  whether  smoke  was  dis 
agreeable  to  his  companion;  to  which,  receiving  an  an 
swer  in  the  negative,  he  immediately  resumed  the  pipe 
which  had  been  laid  aside  at  the  entrance  of  the  traveller. 

There  was  an  evident  desire  on  the  part  of  the  host  to 
enter  into  conversation,  but  either  from  an  apprehension 
of  treading  on  dangerous  ground,  or  an  unwillingness  to 
intrude  upon  the  rather  studied  taciturnity  of  his  guest, 
he  several  times  hesitated,  before  he  could  venture  to 
make  any  further  remark.  At  length,  a  movement  from 
Mr.  Harper,  as  he  raised  his  eyes  to  the  party  in  the 
room,  encouraged  him  to  proceed. 

"I  find  it  very  difficult,"  said  Mr.  Wharton,  cautiously 
avoiding,  at  first,  such  subjects  as  he  wished  to  intro 
duce,  "to  procure  that  quality  of  tobacco  for  my  even 
ings'  amusement,  to  which  I  have  been  accustomed." 

"I  should  think  the  shops  in  New  York  might  furnish 
the  best  in  the  country,"  calmly  rejoined  the  other. 

««Why  —  yes,"  returned  the  host  in  rather  a  hesitating 
manner,  lifting  his  eyes  to  the  face  of  Harper,  and  lower 
ing  them  quickly  under  his  steady  look,  "there  must  be 
plenty  in  town;  but  the  war  has  made  communicatic 
with  the  city,  however  innocent,  too  dangerous  to  be 
risked  for  so  trifling  an  article  as  tobacco." 

The  box  from  which  Mr.  Wharton  had  just  take 
supply  for  his  pipe  was  lying  open,  within  a  few  mcn< 
of  the  elbow  of  Harper,  who  took  a  small  quantity  f 
its  contents,  and  applied  it  to  his  tongue,  man- 
perfectly  natural,  but  one  that  filled  his  companion  wi  I 
alarm.     Without,  however,  observing  that  the  < 
was  of  the  most  approved  kind,  the  traveller  relieved  hi* 
host    by   relapsing    again   into  his  medit 
Wharton  now  felt  unwilling  to  lose  the  advantage  he  h 
gained  and  making  an  effort  of  more  than  usual  vigor,  h 


?  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  thi.unn.ujjj 

struggle  was  over,  that  we  might  again  meet 
and  relatives  in  peace  and  love." 


8  THE   SPY 

"It  is  much  to  be  desired,"  said  Harper,  emphatically, 
again  raising  his  eyes  to  the  countenance  of  his  host. 

"I  hear  of  no  movement  of  consequence,  since  the 
arrival  of  our  new  allies,"  said  Mr.  Wharton,  shaking 
the  ashes  from  his  pipe,  and  turning  his  back  to  the 
other,  under  the  pretence  of  receiving  a  coal  from  his 
youngest  daughter. 

"None  have  yet  reached  the  public  I  believe." 

"Is  it  thought  any  important  steps  are  about  to  be 
taken?"  continued  Mr.  Wharton,  still  occupied  with  his 
daughter,  yet  unconsciously  suspending  his  employment, 
in  expectation  of  a  reply. 

"Is  it  intimated  any  are  in  agitation?" 

"Oh!  nothing  in  particular;  but  it  is  natural  to  expect 
some  new  enterprise  from  so  powerful  a  force  as  that 
under  Rochambeau." 

Harper  made  an  assenting  inclination  with  his  head, 
but  no  other  reply,  to  this  remark;  while  Mr.  Wharton, 
after  lighting  his  pipe,  resumed  the  subject. 

"They  appear  more  active  in  the  south;  Gates  and 
Cornwallis  seem  willing  to  bring  the  war  to  an  issue 
there." 

The  brow  of  Harper  contracted ;  and  a  deeper  shade  of 
melancholy  crossed  his  features;  his  eye  kindled  with  a 
transient  beam  of  fire,  that  spoke  a  latent  source  of  deep 
feeling.  The  admiring  gaze  of  the  younger  of  the  sisters 
had  barely  time  to  read  its  expression  before  it  passed 
away,  leaving  in  its  room  the  acquired  composure  which 
marked  the  countenance  of  the  stranger,  and  that  impres 
sive  dignity  which  so  conspicuously  denotes  the  empire  of 
reason. 

The  elder  sister  made  one  or  two  movements  in  her 
chair,  before  she  ventured  to  say,  in  a  tone  which  par 
took  in  no  small  measure  of  triumph: 

"General  Gates  has  been  less  fortunate  with  the  earl, 
than  with  General  Burgoyne." 

"But  General  Gates  is  an  Englishman,  Sarah,"  cried 
the  younger  lady,  with  quickness;  then,  coloring  to  the 
eyes  at  her  own  boldness,  she  employed  herself  in  tum 
bling  over  the  contents  of  her  work-basket,  silently  hop 
ing  the  remark  would  be  unnoticed. 


THE  SPY  9 

The  traveller  had  turned  his  face  from  one  sister  to 
the  other,  as  they  had  spoken  in  succession,  and  an 
almost  imperceptible  movement  of  the  muscles  of  his 
mouth  betrayed  a  new  emotion,  as  he  playfully  inquired 
of  the  younger : 

"May  I  venture  to  ask  what  inferences  you  would  draw 
from  that  fact?" 

Frances  blushed  yet  deeper  at  this  direct  appeal  to  her 
opinions  upon  a  subject  on  which  she  had  incautiously 
spoken  in  the  presence  of  a  stranger;  but  finding  an 
answer  necessary,  after  some  little  hesitation,  and  with  a 
good  deal  of  stammering  in  her  manner,  she  replied: 

"Only — only — sir — my  sister  and  myself  sometimes 
differ  in  our  opinions  of  the  prowess  of  the  British."  A 
smile  of  much  meaning  played  on  a  face  of  infantile 
innocency,  as  she  concluded. 

"On  what  particular  points  of  their  prowess  do  you 
differ?"  continued  Harper,  meeting  her  look  of  anima 
tion  with  a  smile  of  almost  paternal  softness. 

"Sarah  thinks  the  British  are  never  beaten,  while  I  do 
not  put  so  much  faith  in  their  invincibility." 

The  traveller  listened  to  her  with  that  pleased  indul 
gence,  with  which  virtuous  age  loves  to  contemplate  the 
ardor  of  youthful  innocence;  but  making  no  reply,  he 
turned  to  the  fire,  and  continued  for  some  time  gazing  on 
its  embers  in  silence. 

Mr.  Wharton  had  in  vain  endeavored  to  pierce  the  d 
guise  of  his  guest's  political  feelings;  but,  while  there 
was   nothing  forbidding  in  his  countenance,  there  was 
nothing  communicative;  on  the  contrary  it  was  stnk 
reserved;  and  the  master  of  the  house  arose,  in  profc 
ignorance  of  what,  in  those  days,  was  the  most  maten 
point  in  the  character  of  his  guest,  to  lead  the  way  n 
another   room,  and   to   the  supper   table      Mr 
offered  his  hand  to  Sarah  Wharton,  and  they  entered  tiw 
room  together;  while  Frances  Allowed   greatly  at  ftktf 
to  know  whether  she  had  not  wounded  the  feelings  < 
father's  inmate.  unthnnt- 

The  storm  began  to  rage  with  «7^ftS^J3 
and  the  dashing  rain  on  the  sides  of  the  bu  c  «•*•> 
ened  that  silent  sense  of  enjoyment,  which  is  exeil 


10  THE   SPY 

such  sounds  in  a  room  of  quiet  comfort  and  warmth, 
when  a  loud  summons  at  the  outer  door  again  called  the 
faithful  black  to  the  portal.  In  a  minute  the  servant 
returned,  and  informed  his  master  that  another  traveller, 
overtaken  by  the  storm,  desired  to  be  admitted  to  the 
house  for  a  shelter  through  the  night. 

At  the  first  sounds  of  the  impatient  summons  of  this 
new  applicant,  Mr.  Wharton  had  risen  from  his  seat  in 
evident  uneasiness;  and  with  eyes  glancing  with  quick 
ness  from  his  guest  to  the  door  of  the  room,  he  seemed 
to  be  expecting  something  to  proceed  from  this  second 
interruption,  connected  with  the  stranger  who  had  occa 
sioned  the  first.  He  scarcely  had  time  to  bid  the  black, 
with  a  faint  voice,  to  show  this  second  comer  in,  before 
the  door  was  thrown  hastily  open,  and  the  stranger  him 
self  entered  the  apartment.  He  paused  a  moment,  as  the 
person  of  Harper  met  his  view,  and  then,  in  a  more 
formal  manner,  repeated  the  request  he  had  before  made 
through  the  servant.  Mr.  Wharton  and  his  family  dis 
liked  the  appearance  of  this  new  visitor  excessively;  but 
the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  and  the  uncertainty  of  the 
consequences,  if  he  were  refused  the  desired  lodgings, 
compelled  the  old  gentleman  to  give  a  reluctant  acquies 
cence. 

Some  of  the  dishes  were  replaced  by  the  orders  of  Miss 
Peyton,  and  the  weather-beaten  intruder  was  invited  to 
partake  of  the  remains  of  the  repast,  from  which  the 
party  had  just  risen.  Throwing  aside  a  rough  great 
coat,  he  very  composedly  took  the  offered  chair,  and  un 
ceremoniously  proceeded  to  allay  the  cravings  of  an  appe 
tite  which  appeared  by  no  means  delicate.  But  at  every 
mouthful  he  would  turn  an  unquiet  eye  on  Harper,  who 
studied  his  appearance  with  a  closeness  of  investigation 
that  was  very  embarrassing  to  its  subject.  At  length, 
pouring  out  a  glass  of  wine,  the  new-comer  nodded  sig 
nificantly  to  his  examiner,  previously  to  swallowing  the 
liquor,  and  said,  with  something  of  bitterness  in  his 
manner : 

"I  drink  to  our  better  acquaintance,  sir;  I  believe  this 
is  the  first  time  we  have  met,  though  your  attention 
would  seem  to  say  otherwise." 


THE  SPY  11 

The  quality  of  the  wine  seemed  greatly  to  his  fancy, 
for,  on  replacing  the  glass  upon  the  table,  he  gave  his 
lips  a  smack,  that  resounded  through  the  room;  and, 
taking  up  the  bottle,  he  held  it  between  himself  and  the 
light,  for  a  moment,  in  silent  contemplation  of  its  clear 
and  brilliant  color. 

"I  think  we  have  never  met  before,  sir,"  replied  Har 
per,  with  a  slight  smile  on  his  features,  as  he  observed 
the  movements  of  the  other;  but  appearing  satisfied  with 
his  scrutiny,  he  turned  to  Sarah  Wharton,  who  sat  next 
him,  and  carelessly  remarked: 

"You  doubtless  find  your  present  abode  solitary,  after 
being  accustomed  to  the  gayeties  of  the  city." 

"  Oh !  excessively  so, "  said  Sarah,  hastily.  "  I  do  wish, 
with  my  father,  that  this  cruel  war  was  at  an  end,  that 
we  might  return  to  our  friends  once  more. ' ' 

"And  you,  Miss  Frances,  do  you  long  as  ardently  for 
peace  as  your  sister?" 

"On  many  accounts  I  certainly  do,"  returned  the 
other,  venturing  to  steal  a  timid  glance  at  her  interroga 
tor;  and,  meeting  the  same  benevolent  expression  of  feel 
ing  as  before,  she  continued,  as  her  own  face  lighted  into 
one  of  its  animated  and  bright  smiles  of  intelligence, 
"but  not  at  the  expense  of  the  rights  of  my  country 
men." 

"Rights!"  repeated    her  sister,   impatiently;      wnc 
rights  can   be   stronger  than  those  of  a  sovereign:  and 
what  duty  is  clearer  than  to  obey  those  who  have  a  nat 
ural  right  to  command?" 

"None,  certainly,"  said  Frances,  laughing  with  gr< 
pleasantry;  and,  taking  the  hand  of  her  sister  affect, 
ately  within  both  of  her  own,  she  added,  with  a  si 
directed  towards  Harper:  ,. 

"I  gave  you  to  understand  that  my  sister  and  m>se 
differed  in  our  political  opinions;  but  we  have  an 
tial  umpire  in  my  father,  who  loves  his 1°™™™**™",'. 
and  he  loves  the  British-so  he  takes  sides  wit 

"Yes  "   said  Mr.   Wharton,   in  a  little  alarm    ej 
first  one  g£t,  and  then  the  other,  ««1  have  near  friends 
in  both  armies,  and  I  dread  a  victory  by  either,  a 
source  of  certain  private  misfortune. 


12  THE  SPY 

"I  take  it,  you  have  little  reason  to  apprehend  much 
from  the  Yankees,  in  that  way,"  interrupted  the  guest  at 
the  table,  coolly  helping  himself  to  another  glass,  from 
the  bottle  he  had  admired. 

"His  majesty  may  have  more  experienced  troops  than 
the  continentals,"  answered  the  host  fearfully,  "but  the 
Americans  have  met  with  distinguished  success." 

Harper  disregarded  the  observations  of  both;  and,  ris 
ing,  he  desired  to  be  shown  to  his  place  of  rest.  A  small 
boy  was  directed  to  guide  him  to  his  room;  and  wishing 
a  courteous  good-night  to  the  whole  party,  the  traveller 
withdrew.  The  knife  and  fork  fell  from  the  hands  of 
the  unwelcome  intruder,  as  the  door  closed  on  the  retir 
ing  figure  of  Harper;  he  arose  slowly  from  his  seat;  lis 
tening  attentively,  he  approached  the  door  of  the  room — 
opened  it — seemed  to  attend  to  the  retreating  footsteps 
of  the  other — and,  amidst  the  panic  and  astonishment  of 
his  companions,  he  closed  it  again.  In  an  instant,  the 
red  wig  which  concealed  his  black  locks,  the  large  patch 
which  hid  half  his  face  from  observation,  the  stoop  that 
had  made  him  appear  fifty  years  of  age,  disappeared. 

"My  father! — my  dear  father!" — cried  the  handsome 
young  man;  "and  you,  my  dearest  sisters  and  aunt! — 
have  I  at  last  met  you  again?" 

"Heaven  bless  you,  my  Henry,  my  son!"  exclaimed  the 
astonished  but  delighted  parent;  while  his  sisters  sunk  on 
his  shoulders,  dissolved  in  tears. 

The  faithful  old  black,  who  had  been  reared  from 
infancy  in  the  house  of  his  master,  and  who,  as  if  in 
mockery  of  his  degraded  state,  had  been  complimented 
with  the  name  of  Caesar,  was  the  only  other  witness  of 
this  unexpected  discovery  of  the  son  of  Mr.  Wharton. 
After  receiving  the  extended  hand  of  his  young  master, 
and  imprinting  on  it  a  fervent  kiss,  Caesar  withdrew. 
The  boy  did  not  re-enter  the  room;  and  the  black  himself, 
after  some  time,  returned,  just  as  the  young  British  cap 
tain  was  exclaiming: 

"But  who  is  this  Mr.  Harper? — is  he  likely  to  betray 
me?" 

"No,  no,  no,  Massa  Harry,"  cried  the  negro,  shaking 
his  gray  head  confidently;  "I  been  to  see — Massa  Harper 


THE  SPY  13 

on  the  knee — pray  to  God— no  gemman  who  pray  to  God 
tell  of  good  son,  come  to  see  old  fader— Skinner  do  that 
• — no  Christian!" 

This  poor  opinion  of  the  Skinners  was  not  confined  to 
Mr.  Caesar  Thompson,  as  he  called  himself— but  Oesar 
Wharton,  as  he  was  styled  by  the  little  world  to  which  he 
was  known.  The  convenience,  and  perhaps  the  necessi 
ties,  of  the  leaders  of  the  American  arms,  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  New  York,  had  induced  them  to  employ  cer 
tain  subordinate  agents,  of  extremely  irregular  habits,  in 
executing  their  lesser  plans  of  annoying  the  enemy.  It 
was  not  a  moment  for  fastidious  inquiries  into  abuses  of 
any  description,  and  oppression  and  injustice  were  the 
natural  consequences  of  the  possession  of  a  military 
power  that  was  uncurbed  by  the  restraints  of  civil 
authority.  In  time,  a  distinct  order  of  the  community 
was  formed,  whose  sole  occupation  appears  to  have  been 
that  of  relieving  their  fellow-citizens  from  any  little  ex 
cess  of  temporal  prosperity  they  might  be  thought  to 
enjoy,  under  the  pretence  of  patriotism,  and  the  love  of 
liberty. 

Occasionally,  the  aid  of  military  authority  was  not 
wanting  in  enforcing  these  arbitrary  distributions  of 
worldly  goods;  and  a  petty  holder  of  a  commission  in  the 
State  militia  was  to  be  seen  giving  the  sanction  of  some 
thing  like  legality  to  acts  of  the  most  unlicensed  robbery, 
and,  not  unfrequently,  of  bloodshed. 

On  the  part  of  the  British,  the  stimulus  of  1 
by  no  means  suffered  to  sleep,  where  so  fruitJ 
offered  on  which  it  might  be  expended.     But  then 
booters  were  enrolled,  and  their  efforts  more 
tized.     Long   experience   had   taught  their   1 
efficacy  of  concentrated  force;  and,  unless  tradi 
great  injustice  to  their  exploits,  the  result 
credit  to  their  foresight.     The  corps-we  presi 
their  known  affection  to  that  useful  animal- 
the  quaint  aupellation  of  "Cow-Boys. 

Oesar  was,  however,  far  too  loyal  to  associate  men* 
held   the  commission  of  George  III.  with  the, 
warriors,  whose  excesses  he  had  so  oft »  ™ 
from  whose  rapacity  neither  his  poverty  nor 


14  THE   SPY 

had  suffered  even  him  to  escape  uninjured.  The  Cow- 
Boys,  therefore,  did  not  receive  their  proper  portion  of 
the  black's  censure  when  he  said,  no  Christian,  nothing 
but  a  "Skinner,"  could  betray  a  pious  child,  while  honor 
ing  his  father  with  a  visit  so  full  of  peril. 


CHAPTER  II 

"And  many  a  halcyon  day  he  lived  to  see 
Unbroken,  but  by  one  misfortune  dire, 
When  fate  had  reft  his  mutual  heart—  but  she 
Was  gone—  and  Gertrude  climbed  a  widowed  father  s  knee. 

—GERTRUDE  OP  WYOMING. 

THE  father  of  Mr.  Wharton  was  a  native  of  England, 
and  of  a  family  whose  parliamentary  interest  had  enabled 
them  to  provide  for  a  younger  son  in  the  colony  of  . 
York      The  young  man,  like  hundreds  of  others  in  tl 
situation,  had  settled  permanently  in  the  country. 
married;  and  the  sole  issue  of  his  connection  had 
sent  early  in  life  to  receive  the  benefits  of  the  ] 
schools.     After  taking  his  degrees  at  one  oft 
sities  of  the  mother-country,  the  youth  had  been  si 
to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  life  with  the  advantages  of 
European  society.     But  the  death  of  his 
him,  after  passing  two  years  in  this  manner,  to 
session  of  an  honorable  name  and  a  very  arnpl 


made  arms  their  profession;  and  »W«      ^dethesw.'*! 


this 

had  intended  his  son  for  a  so  Wie  ,  bu   a  "at  u 
ity  of  character  in  his  child  interfered  *  itn  n  . 

A  twelvemonth  had  been 


weighing  the 

classes  of  troops,  when  *^J*£3«»  lavished  upon 

**** 


,  «»  a 

The  ease  of  his  situation,  and  ******     of  the  largest 
a  youth  in  the  actual  enjoymei 


16  THE  SPY 

estates  in  the  colonies,  interfered  greatly  with  his  ambi 
tious  projects.  Love  decided  the  matter;  and  Mr.  Whar- 
ton,  in  becoming  a  husband,  ceased  to  think  of  becoming 
a  soldier.  For  many  years  he  continued  happy  in  his 
family,  and  sufficiently  respected  by  his  countrymen,  as  a 
man  of  integrity  and  consequence,  when  all  his  enjoy 
ments  vanished,  as  it  were,  at  a  blow.  His  only  son,  the 
youth  introduced  in  the  preceding  chapter,  had  entered 
the  army,  and  had  arrived  in  his  native  country  but  a 
short  time  before  the  commencement  of  hostilities,  with 
the  reinforcements  the  ministry  had  thought  it  prudent 
to  throw  into  the  disaffected  parts  of  North  America. 
His  daughters  were  just  growing  into  life,  and  their  edu 
cation  required  all  the  advantages  the  city  could  'afford. 
His  wife  had  been  for  some  years  in  declining  health,  and 
had  barely  time  to  fold  her  son  to  her  bosom,  and  rejoice 
in  the  reunion  of  her  family,  before  the  Revolution  burst 
forth,  in  a  continued  blaze,  from  Georgia  to  Massachu 
setts.  The  shock  was  too  much  for  the  feeble  condition 
of  the  mother,  who  saw  her  child  called  to  the  field  to 
combat  against  the  members  of  her  own  family  in  the 
South,  and  she  sank  under  the  blow. 

There  was  no  part  of  the  continent  where  the  manners 
of  England,  and  its  aristocratical  notions  of  blood  and 
alliances,  prevailed  with  more  force  than  in  a  certain  cir 
cle  immediately  around  the  metropolis  of  New  York.  The 
customs  of  the  early  Dutch  inhabitants  had,  indeed, 
blended  in  some  measures  with  the  English  manners;  but 
still  the  latter  prevailed.  This  attachment  to  Great  Brit 
ain  was  increased  by  the  frequent  intermarriages  of  the 
officers  of  the  mother-country  with  the  wealthier  and 
most  powerful  families  of  the  vicinity,  until,  at  the  com 
mencement  of  hostilities,  their  united  influence  had  very 
nearly  thrown  the  colony  into  the  scale  on  the  side  of  the 
crown.  A  few,  however,  of  the  leading  families  espoused 
the  cause  of  the  people;  and  a  sufficient  stand  was  made 
against  the  efforts  of  the  ministerial  party,  to  organize, 
and,  aided  by  the  army  of  the  confederation,  to  maintain 
an  independent  and  republican  form  of  government. 

The  city  of  New  York  and  the  adjacent  territory  were 
alone  exempted  from  the  rule  of  the  new  commonwealth; 


THE  SPY  17 

while  the  royal  authority  extended  no  farther  than  it* 
dignity  could  be  supported  by  the  presence  of  an  army. 
In   this   condition   of  things,  the   loyalists  of  influence 
adopted  such  measures  as  best  accorded  with  their  differ 
ent  characters  and  situations.     Many  bore  arms  in  sup 
port  of  the  crown,  and,  by  their  bravery  ami  exertions, 
endeavored  to  secure  what  they  deemed  to  be  the  rights 
of  their   prince,  and  their  own  estates  from  the  effects 
of  the  law  of  attainder.     Others  left  the  country;  seek 
ing   in  that  place    they  emphatically  called   home,  an 
asylum,  as  they  fondly  hoped,  for  a  season  only,  affaira 
the  confusion  and  dangers  of  war.     A  third,  and  a  m»r 
wary  portion,  remained  in  the  place  of  their  nativity, 
with  a  prudent  regard  to  their  ample  possession* 
perhaps,  influenced  by  their  attachments  to  the  9 
their    youth.     Mr.    Wharton   was    of    this  d« 
After  making  a  provision  against  future  contingency 
by  secretly  transmitting  the  whole  of  his  money 
British  funds,  this  gentleman  determined  to  cont.r 
the  theatre  of  strife,  and  to  maintain  so  strict  a  neutral- 
ty  L  toTnsure  the  'safety  of  his  large  estate,  whoever 

fence  in  the  existing  state  of !  th    tgs,  ana 
determined  to  remove  the  diffi icul  y  by  rU.r i  g 
country.     He  possessed  a  residen  county  ^  ^ 

Chester;  and  having  been  foi  gumm<ir 

withdrawing   thither  during      «   heatso  i^  ^  ^ 
months,  it  was  kept  furni        ,  aiready  admitu-d 

modation.     His  eldest  »   p  ^  youn^-r. 

into   the   society  of  women    bu ;^ual'culll 
required  a  year  or  two  n        oi  thought  MiaB  jean- 

appear  with  prppeM**'  •"  a  vounKer  sister  of  their 


18  THE   SPY 

nieces,  Mr.  Wharton  felt  that  her  opinions  were  entitled 
t-o  respect.  In  conformity  to  her  advice,  therefore,  the 
feelings  of  the  parent  were  made  to  yield  to  the  welfare 
of  his  children. 

Mr.  Wharton  withdrew  to  the  Locusts,  with  a  heart 
rest  with  the  pain  of  separating  from  all  that  was 
left  him  of  a  wife  he  had  adored,  but  in  obedience 
to  a  constitutional  prudence  that  pleaded  loudly  in  be 
half  of  his  worldly  goods.  His  handsome  town  residence 
was  inhabited,  in  the  meanwhile,  by  his  daughters 
and  their  aunt.  The  regiment  to  which  Captain  Whar 
ton  belonged,  formed  part  of  the  permanent  garrison  of 
the  city;  and  the  knowledge  of  the  presence  of  his  son 
was  no  little  relief  to  the  father,  in  his  unceasing  medi 
tations  on  his  absent  daughters.  But  Captain  Wharton 
was  a  young  man  and  a  soldier;  his  estimate  of  character 
was  not  always  the  wisest;  and  his  propensities  led  him 
to  imagine  that  a  red  coat  never  concealed  a  dishonorable 
heart. 

The  house  of  Mr.  Wharton  became  a  fashionable  lounge 
to  the  officers  of  the  Royal  army,  as  did  that  of  every 
other  family  that  was  thought  worthy  of  their  notice. 
The  consequences  of  this  association  were,  to  some  few  of 
the  visited,  fortunate;  to  more,  injurious,  by  exciting 
expectations  which  were  never  to  be  realized,  and,  un 
happily,  to  no  small  number  ruinous.  The  known  wealth 
of  the  father  and,  possibly,  the  presence  of  a  high- 
spirited  brother,  forbade  any  apprehension  of  the  latter 
danger  to  the  young  ladies:  but  it  was  impossible  that  all 
the  admiration  bestowed  on  the  fine  figure  and  lovely  face 
of  Sarah  Wharton  should  be  thrown  away.  Her  person 
was  formed  witk  the  early  maturity  of  the  climate,  and  a 
strict  cultivation  of  the  graces  had  made  her  decidedly 
the  belle  of  the  city.  No  one  promised  to  dispute  with 
her  this  female  sovereignty,  unless  it  might  be  her 
younger  sister.  Frances,  however,  wanted  some  months 
to  the  charmed  age  of  sixteen;  and  the  idea  of  competi 
tion  was  far  from  the  minds  of  either  of  the  affectionate 
girls.  Indeed,  next  to  the  conversation  of  Colonel  Well- 
mere,  the  greatest  pleasure  of  Sarah  was  in  contemplating 
the  budding  beauties  of  the  little  Hebe,  who  played 


THE  SPY  19 

around  her  with  all  the  innocency  of  youth,  with  all  the 
enthusiasm  of  her  ardent  temper,  and  with  no  little  of 
the  archness  of  her  native  humor.  Whether  or  not  it 
was  owing  to  the  fact  that  Frances  received  none  of  the 
compliments  which  fell  to  the  lot  of  her  elder  sister,  in 
the  often  repeated  discussions  on  the  merits  of  the  war, 
between  the  military  beaux  who  frequented  the  house,  it 
is  certain  their  effects  on  the  sisters  were  exactly  oppo 
site.  It  was  much  the  fashion  then  for  the  British  offi 
cers  to  speak  slightingly  of  their  enemies;  and  Sarah  took 
all  the  idle  vaporing  of  her  danglers  to  be  truths.  The 
first  political  opinions  which  reached  the  ears  of  Frances 
were  coupled  with  sneers  on  the  conduct  of  her  country 
men.  At  first  she  believed  them;  but  there  was  occasion 
ally  a  general,  who  was  obliged  to  do  justice  to  his  enemy 
in  order  to  obtain  justice  for  himself;  and  Frances 
became  somewhat  skeptical  on  the  subject  of  the  meffi 
ciency  of  her  countrymen.  Colonel  Wellmere  was  among 
those  who  delighted  most  in  expending  his  wit  on 
unfortunate  Americans;  and,  in  time,  Frances  begar 
listen  to  his  eloquence  with  great  suspicion,  an< 
times  with  resentment. 

It  was  on  a  hot,  sultry  day,  that  the  three  were  ir 
parlor  of  Mr.  Wharton's  house,  the  colonel 


at  her  tambouring  frame,  in  an  opposite  corner 


Sarah,   in  reply;   "I  am  t  jre  ^  ^ake 

women  with  that  army;  as  you  say,  H 
life  and  gayety. "  dance  of  he 

JS!ta?SpS^i*2yfiS3 


is  there  to 

JT  tll'IUlLl/CU  .  v^~" „,, 

prevent  it,  my  pretty  Miss  Fanny. 


20  THE  SPY 

Frances  was  precisely  at  that  age  when  young  people 
are  most  jealous  of  their  station  in  society;  neither  quite 
a  woman  nor  yet  a  child.  The  "pretty  Miss  Fanny" 
was  too  familiar  to  be  relished,  and  she  dropped  her  eyes 
on  her  work  again,  with  cheeks  that  glowed  like  crimson. 

"General  Stark  took  the  Germans  into  custody,"  she 
answered,  compressing  her  lips;  "may  not  General  Gates 
think  the  British  too  dangerous  to  go  at  large?" 

"Oh!  they  were  Germans,  as  you  say,"  cried  the 
colonel,  excessively  vexed  at  the  necessity  of  explaining 
at  all;  "mere  mercenary  troops;  but  when  the  really 
British  regiments  come  in  question,  you  will  see  a  very 
different  result." 

"Of  that  there  is  no  doubt,"  cried  Sarah,  without  in 
tne  least  partaking  of  the  resentment  of  the  colonel  to 
her  sister,  but  hailing  already  in  her  heart  triumph  of 
the  British. 

"Pray,  Colonel  Wellmere,"  said  Frances,  recovering 
her  good-humor,  and  raising  her  joyous  eyes  once  more  to 
the  face  of  the  gentleman,  "was  the  Lord  Percy  of  Lex 
ington  a  kinsman  of  him  who  fought  at  Chevy  Chace?" 

"Why,  Miss  Fanny,  you  are  becoming  a  rebel,"  said 
the  colonel,  endeavoring  to  laugh  away  the  anger  he  felt; 
"what  you  are  pleased  to  insinuate  was  a  chase  at  Lex 
ington,  was  nothing  more  than  a  judicious  retreat — a — 
kind  of " 

"Running  fight,"  interrupted  the  good-humored  girl, 
laying  great  emphasis  on  the  first  word. 

"Positively,  young  lady" — Colonel  Wellmere  was  in 
terrupted  by  a  laugh  from  a  person  who  had  hitherto 
been  unnoticed. 

There  was  a  small  family  apartment  adjoining  the 
room  occupied  by  the  trio,  and  the  air  had  blown  open 
the  door  communicating  between  the  two.  A  fine  young 
man  was  now  seen  sitting  near  the  entrance,  who  by  his 
smiling  countenance  was  evidently  a  pleased  listener  to 
the  conversation.  He  rose  instantly,  and  coming  through 
the  door,  with  his  hat  in  his  hand,  appeared  a  tall,  grace 
ful  youth,  of  dark  complexion,  and  sparkling  eyes  of 
black,  from  which  the  mirth  had  not  yet  entirely  van 
ished,  as  he  made  his  bow  to  the  ladies. 


THE  SPY  21 

"Mr.  Dunwoodie!"  cried  Sarah,  in  surprise;  "I  was 
ignorant  of  your  being  in  the  house;  you  will  find  a 
cooler  seat  in  this  room." 

"I  thank  you,"  replied  the  young  man,  "but  I  must  go 
and  seek  your  brother,who  placed  me  there  in  ambuscade, 
as  he  called  it,  with  a  promise  of  returning  an  hour  ago." 
Without  making  any  further  explanation,  the  youth 
bowed  politely  to  the  young  women,  distantly  and  with 
hauteur  to  the  gentleman,  and  withdrew.  Frances  fol 
lowed  him  into  the  hall,  and  blushing  richly,  inquired,  in 
a  hurried  voice: 

"But  why  —  why  do  you  leave  us,  Mr.  Dunwoodie? 
Henry  must  soon  return." 

The  gentleman  caught  one  of  her  hands  in  his  own,  and 
the  stern  expression  of  his  countenance  gave  place  to  a 
look  of  admiration  as  he  replied: 

"You  managed  him  famously,  my  dear  little  kins 
woman;  never  —  no,  never,  forget  the  land  of  your  birth; 
remember,  if  you  are  the  granddaughter  of  an  English 
man,  you  are  also  the  granddaughter  of  a  Peyton." 

"Oh!"  returned  the  laughing  girl,  "it  would  be  diffi 
cult  to  forget  that,  with  the  constant  lectures  on  gene 
alogy  before  us,  with  which  we  are  favored  by  Aunt 
Jeanette  —  but  why  do  you  go?" 

"I  am  on  the  wing  for  Virginia,  and  have  much  tc 
do."     He  pressed  her  hand  as  he  spoke,  and  look 
back,  while  in  the  act  of  closing  the  door,  exclaiir 
"Be  true  to  your  country—  be  American." 
girl  kissed  her  hand  to  him  as  he  retired,  and  then 
stantly  applying    it  with   its  beautiful   fellow  1 
burning  cheeks,  ran  into  her  own  apartment  1 
confusion. 

Between  the  open  sarcasm  of  Frances,  and  the  i 
cealed  disdain  of  the  young  man,  Colonel  Wellmere  b 
felt   himself  placed   in  an  awkward   predicament 
ashamed  to  resent  such  trifles  in  the  presence  o 
tress,  he  satisfied  himself  with  observing,  supercil 


Dunwoodie 


22  THE  SPY 

as  a  shop-boy  could  never  enter  the  mind  of  Sarah,  and 
she  looked  around  her  in  surprise,  when  the  colonel 
continued : 

"This  Mr.  Dun— Dun— 

"Dunwoodie!  Oh,  no — he  is  a  relation  of  my  aunt," 
cried  the  young  lady,  "and  an  intimate  friend  of  my 
brother;  they  were  at  school  together,  and  only  separated 
in  England,  when  one  went  into  the  army,  and  the  other 
to  a  French  military  academy." 

"His  money  appears  to  have  been  thrown  away,"  ob 
served  the  colonel,  betraying  the  spleen  he  was  unsuccess 
fully  striving  to  conceal. 

"We  ought  to  hope  so,"  added  Sarah,  with  a  smile, 
"for  it  is  said  he  intends  joining  the  rebel  army.  He 
was  brought  in  here  in  a  French  ship,  and  has  just  been 
exchanged;  you  may  soon  meet  him  in  arms." 

"Well,  let  him — I  wish  Washington  plenty  of  such 
heroes;"  and  he  turned  to  a  more  pleasant  subject,  by 
changing  the  discourse  to  themselves. 

A  few  weeks  after  this  scene  occurred,  the  army  of 
Burgoyne  laid  down  their  arms.  Mr.  Wharton,  begin 
ning  to  think  the  result  of  the  contest  doubtful,  resolved 
to  conciliate  his  countrymen,  and  gratify  himself,  by 
calling  his  daughters  into  his  own  abode.  Miss  Peyton 
consented  to  be  their  companion;  and  from  that  time, 
until  the  period  at  which  we  commenced  our  narrative, 
they  had  formed  one  family. 

Whenever  the  main  army  made  any  movements,  Cap 
tain  Wharton  had,  of  course,  accompanied  it;  and  once  or 
twice,  under  the  protection  of  strong  parties,  acting  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  Locusts,  he  had  enjoyed  rapid 
and  stolen  interviews  with  his  friends.  A  twelvemonth 
had,  however,  passed  without  his  seeing  them;  and  the 
impatient  Henry  had  adopted  the  disguise  we  have  men 
tioned,  and  unfortunately  arrived  on  the  very  evening 
that  an  unknown  and  rather  suspicious  guest  was  an  in 
mate  of  the  house,  which  seldom  contained  any  other  than 
its  regular  inhabitants. 

"But  do  you  think  he  suspects  me?"  asked  the  captain, 
with  anxiety,  after  pausing  to  listen  to  Cesar's  opinion 
of  the  Skinners. 


THE  SPY  23 

"How  should  he?"  cried  Sarah,  "when  your  sisters 
and  father  could  not  penetrate  your  disguise.  '  ' 

"There  is  something  mysterious  in  his  manner;  his 
looks  are  too  prying  for  an  indifferent  observer,"  con 
tinued  young  Wharton,  thoughtfully,  "and  his  face  seems 
familiar  to  me.  The  recent  fate  of  Andre  has  created 
much  irritation  on  both  sides.  Sir  Henry  threatens 
retaliation  for  his  death;  and  Washington  is  as  firm  as  if 
half  the  world  were  at  his  command.  The  rebels  would 
think  me  a  fit  subject  for  their  plan  just  now,  should  I  be 
so  unlucky  as  to  fall  into  their  hands." 

"But,  my  son,"  cried  his  father,  in  great  alarm,  "you 
are  not  a  spy;  you  are  not  within  the  rebel—  that  is,  the 
American  lines;  there  is  nothing  here  to  spy." 

"That  might  be  disputed,"  rejoined  the  young  man, 
musing;  "their  pickets  were  as  low  as  the  White  Plains 
when  I  passed  through  in  disguise.     It  is  true  my  pur 
poses  are  innocent;  but  how  is  it  to  appear?    My  vis 
you  would  seem  a  cloak  to  other  designs.     Remember, 
sir,    the   treatment  you  received  not  a  year 
sending  me  a  supply  of  fruit  for  the  winter. 

"That  proceeded  from  the  misrepresentations  . 
kind    neighbors,"  said   Mr.    Wharton    "who   hope* 
getting  my  estate  confiscated,  to  purchase  good  farn 
fow  prices      Peyton  Dunwoodie,  however,  soon  obtained 
our  discharge;  we  were  detained  but  a  month 

"We!"  repeated  the  son,  in  amazement; 
my  sisters,  also?    Fanny,  you  wrote  me  no  hmg  of 

"I  believe  "   said  Frances,  coloring  highly, 

ssSFSS  vsvzs  •' 

father  '  s  release  .  '  '  .   ,     mp  ?  »  » 

"True;  but  were  you  with  hm  i  in  the  rebel  csmpT 


the  Locusts,  and  this 

captivity."  ,         ene  a  greater  rebel 

"And  Fanny  returned  from  sue  *'* 


such  whims. 


24  THE   SPY 

"What  say  you  to  the  charge,  my  pretty  sister?"  cried 
the  captain,  gayly;  "did  Peyton  strive  to  make  you  hate 
your  king,  more  than  he  does  himself?" 

"Peyton  Dunwoodie  hates  no  one,"  said  Frances, 
quickly;  then,  blushing  at  her  own  ardor,  she  added, 
immediately,  "he  loves  you,  Henry,  I  know;  for  he  has 
told  me  so  again  and  again." 

Young  Wharton  tapped  his  sister  on  the  cheek,  with  a 
smile,  as  he  asked  her,  in  an  affected  whisper,  "Did  he 
tell  you  also  that  he  loved  my  little  sister  Fanny?" 

"Nonsense!"  said  Frances;  and  the  remnants  of  the 
supper-table  soon  disappeared  under  her  superintendence. 


CHAPTER  III 

"*  'Twas  when  the  fields  were  swept  of  Autumn'*  store 
And  growing  winds  the  fading  foliage  tore. 
Behind  the  Lowmon  hill,  the  short-lived  light. 
Descending  slowly,  ushered  in  the  night; 
When  from  the  noisy  town,  with  mournful  look 
His  lonely  way  the  meagre  peddler  took." 

—WILSON. 

A  STORM  below  the  highlands  of  the  Hudson,  if  it  be 
introduced  with  an  easterly  wind,  seldom  lasts  less  than 
two  days.     Accordingly,  as  the  inmates  of  the  Locusts 
assembled,  on  the  following  morning,  around  their  early 
breakfast,  the  driving  rain  was  seen  to  strike  in  nearly 
horizontal  lines  against  the  windows  of  the  building,  and 
forbade  the  idea  of  exposing  either  man  or  beast  to  the 
tempest.     Harper  was  the  last  to  appear ;  after  taking  a 
view  of  the  state  of  the  weather,  he  apologized  to  Mr. 
Wharton  for  the  necessity  that  existed  for  his  trespassing 
on  his  goodness  for  a  longer  time.     To  appearances,  the 
reply  was  as  courteous  as  the  excuse;  yet  Harper  wore  a 
resignation  in  his  deportment  that  was  widely  different, 
from  the  uneasy  manner  of  the  father.     Henry  Wharton 
had  resumed  his  disguise  with  a  reluctance  amounting  to 
disgust,  but  in  obedience  to  the  commands  of  his  parent. 
No  communications  passed  between  him  and  the  stranger, 
after  the  first  salutations  of  the  morning  had  been  paid 
by  Harper  to  him,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  the  fam 
ily.     Frances  had,  indeed,  thought  there  was  somethin. 
like  a  smile  passing  over  the  features  of  the  traveller, 
when,    on   entering   the   room,   he  first  confronted 
brother;  but  it  was  confined  to  the  eyes,  seeming  to  wan! 
power  to  affect  the  muscles  of  the  face,  and  was  soon  < 
in  the  settled  and  benevolent  expression  which  reign, 
his  countenance,    with  a  sway  but  seldom    interrupted. 
The  eyes  of  the  affectionate  sister  were  turned  in  an* 
for  a  moment,  on  her  brother,  and  glancing  again 
their  unknown  guest,  met  his  look,  as  he  offeree     ex, 

25 


26  THE   SPY 

with  marked  attention,  one  of  the  little  civilities  of  the 
table;  and  the  heart  of  the  girl,  which  had  begun  to 
throb  with  violence,  regained  a  pulsation  as  tempered  as 
youth,  health,  and  buoyant  spirits  could  allow.  While 
yet  seated  at  the  table,  Caesar  entered,  and  laying  a  small 
parcel  in  silence  by  the  side  of  his  master,  modestly 
retired  behind  his  chair,  where,  placing  one  hand  on  its 
back,  he  continued  in  an  attitude  half  familiar,  half 
respectful,  a  listener. 

"What  is  this,  Caasar?"  inquired  Mr.  Wharton,  turn 
ing  the  bundle  over  to  examine  its  envelope,  and  eying 
it  rather  suspiciously. 

"The  'baccy,  sir;  Harvey  Birch,  he  got  home,  and  he 
bring  you  a  little  good  'baccy  from  York." 

"Harvey  Birch!"  rejoined  the  master  with  great  de 
liberation,  stealing  a  look  at  his  guest.  "I  do  not  re 
member  desiring  him  to  purchase  any  tobacco  for  me;  but 
as  he  has  brought  it,  he  must  be  paid  for  his  trouble." 

For  an  instant  only,  as  the  negro  spoke,  did  Harper 
suspend  his  silent  meal;  his  eye  moved  slowly  from  the 
servant  to  the  master,  and  again  all  remained  in  impene 
trable  reserve. 

To  Sarah  Wharton,  this  intelligence  gave  unexpected 
pleasure;  rising  from  her  seat  with  impatience,  she  bade 
the  black  show  Birch  into  the  apartment;  when,  suddenly 
recollecting  herself,  she  turned  to  the  traveller  with  an 
apologizing  look,  and  added,  "If  Mr.  Harper  will  excuse 
the  presence  of  a  peddler." 

The  indulgent  benevolence  expressed  in  the  countenance 
of  the  stranger,  as  he  bowed  a  silent  acquiescence,  spoke 
more  eloquently  than  the  nicest  framed  period,  and  the 
young  lady  repeated  her  order,  with  a  confidence  in  its 
truth  that  removed  all  embarrassment. 

In  the  deep  recesses  of  the  windows  of  the  cottage  were 
seats  of  panelled  work;  and  the  rich  damask  curtains, 
that  had  ornamented  the  parlor  in  Queen  Street,1  had 


1  The  Americans  changed  the  names  of  many  towns  and  streets  at  the  Revo 
lution,  as  has  since  been  done  in  France.  Thus,  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
Crown  Street  has  become  Liberty  Street;  King  Street,  Pine  Street;  and  Queen 
Street,  then  one  of  the  most  fashionable  quarters  of  the  town.  Pearl  Street. 
Pearl  Street  is  now  chiefly  occupied  by  the  auction  dealers  and  the  wholesale 
dry-goods  merchants,  for  warehouses  and  countingr-rooms. 


THE  SPY  27 

been  transferred  to  the  Locusts,  and  gave  to  the  room 
that  indescribable  air  of  comfort,  which  so  gratefully 
announces  the  approach  of  a  domestic  winter.  Into  one 
of  these  recesses  Captain  Wharton  now  threw  himself 
drawing  the  curtain  before  him  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
conceal  most  of  his  person  from  observation;  while  his 
younger  sister,  losing  her  natural  frankness  of  manner, 
in  an  air  of  artificial  constraint,  silently  took  possession 
of  the  other. 

Harvey  Birch  had  been  a  peddler  from  his  youth;  at 
least  so  he  frequently  asserted,  and  his  skill  in  the  occu 
pation  went  far  to  prove  the  truth  of  the  declaration. 
He  was  a  native  of  one  of  the  eastern  colonies;  and,  from 
something  of  superior  intelligence  which  belonged  to  his 
father,  it  was  thought  they  had  known  better  fortune  in 
the  land  of  their  nativity.  Harvey  possessed,  however, 
the  common  manners  of  the  country,  and  was  in  no  way 
distinguished  from  men  of  his  class,  but  by  his  acuteness, 
and  the  mystery  which  enveloped  his  movements.  Ten 
years  before,  they  had  arrived  together  in  the  vale,  and, 
purchasing  the  humble  dwelling  at  which  Harper  had 
made  his  unsuccessful  application,  continued  ever  since 
peaceful  inhabitants,  but  little  noticed,  and  but  little 
known.  Until  age  and  infirmities  had  prevented,  the 
father  devoted  himself  to  the  cultivation  of  the  small  spot 
of  ground  belonging  to  his  purchase,  while  the  son  pur 
sued  with  avidity  his  humble  barter.  Their  orderly 
quietude  had  soon  given  them  so  much  consideration  in 
the  neighborhood,  as  to  induce  a  maiden  of  five-and- 
thirty  to  forget  the  punctilio  of  her  sex,  and  to  accept 
the  office  of  presiding  over  their  domestic  comforts.  The 
roses  had  long  before  vanished  from  the  cheeks  of  Katy 
Haynes,  and  she  had  seen  in  succession,  both  her  male 
and  female  acquaintances  forming  the  union  so  desirable 
to  her  sex,  with  but  little  or  no  hope  left  for  herself, 
when,  with  views  of  her  own,  she  entered  the  family  of 
the  Birches.  Necessity  is  a  hard  master,  and,  for  the 
want  of  a  better  companion,  the  father  and  son  were 
induced  to  accept  her  services;  but  still  Katy  was  not 
wanting  in  some  qualities  which  made  her  a  very  tolers 
ble  housekeeper.  On  the  one  hand,  she  was  neat,  indus- 


28  THE   SPY 

trious,  honest,  and  a  good  manager.  On  the  other,  she 
was  talkative,  selfish,  superstitious,  and  inquisitive.  By 
dint  of  using  the  latter  quality  with  consummate  industry, 
she  had  not  lived  in  the  family  five  years  when  she  trium 
phantly  declared  that  she  had  heard,  or  rather  overheard, 
sufficient  to  enable  her  to  say  what  had  been  the  former 
fate  of  her  associates.  Could  Katy  have  possessed  enough 
of  divination  to  pronounce  upon  their  future  lot,  her  task 
would  have  been  accomplished.  From  the  private  conver 
sations  of  the  parent  and  child,  she  learned  that  a  fire  had 
reduced  them  from  competence  to  poverty,  and  at  the 
same  time  diminished  the  number  of  their  family  to 
two.  There  was  tremulousness  in  the  voice  of  the  father, 
as  he  touched  lightly  on  the  event,  which  affected  even 
the  heart  of  Katy;  but  no  barrier  is  sufficient  to  repel 
vulgar  curiosity.  She  persevered,  until  a  very  direct 
intimation  from  Harvey,  by  threatening  to  supply  her 
place  with  a  female  a  few  years  younger  than  herself, 
gave  her  awful  warning  that  there  were  bounds  beyond 
which  she  was  not  to  pass.  From  that  period  the  curios 
ity  of  the  housekeeper  had  been  held  in  such  salutary 
restraint,  that,  although  no  opportunity  of  listening  was 
ever  neglected,  she  had  been  able  to  add  but  little  to  her 
stock  of  knowledge.  There  was,  however,  one  piece  of 
intelligence,  and  that  of  no  little  interest  to  herself, 
which  she  had  succeeded  in  obtaining;  and  from  the 
moment  of  its  acquisition,  she  directed  her  energies  to 
the  accomplishment  of  one  object,  aided  by  the  double 
stimulus  of  love  and  avarice. 

Harvey  was  in  the  frequent  habit  of  paying  mysterious 
visits,  in  the  depth  of  the  night,  to  the  fireplace  of  the 
apartment  that  served  for  both  kitchen  and  parlor.  Here 
he  was  observed  by  Katy;  and  availing  herself  of  his 
absence,  and  the  occupations  of  the  father,  by  removing 
one  of  the  hearth-stones,  she  discovered  an  iron  pot,  glit 
tering  with  a  metal  that  seldom  fails  to  soften  the  hardest 
heart.  Katy  succeeded  in  replacing  the  stone  without 
discovery,  and  never  dared  to  trust  herself  with  another 
visit.  From  that  moment,  however,  the  heart  of  the  vir 
gin  lost  its  obduracy,  and  nothing  interposed  between  Har 
vey  and  his  happiness  but  his  own  want  of  observation. 


THE  SPY  29 

The  war  did  not  interfere  with  the  traffic  of  the  ped 
dler,  who  seized  on  the  golden  opportunity  which  the 
interruption  of  the  regular  trade  afforded,  and  appeared 
absorbed  m  the  one  grand  object  of  amassing  money 
For  a  year  or  two  his  employment  was  uninterrupted  and 
his  success  proportionate;  but,  at  length,  dark  and  threat 
ening  hints  began  to  throw  suspicion  around  his  move 
ments,  and  the  civil  authority  thought  it  incumbent  on 
them  to  examine  narrowly  into  his  mode  of  life.  His 
imprisonments,  though  frequent,  were  not  long;  and  his 
escapes  from  the  guardians  of  the  law  easy,  compared  to 
what  he  endured  from  the  persecution  of  the  military. 
Still  Birch  survived,  and  still  he  continued  his  trade, 
though  compelled  to  be  very  guarded  in  his  movements, 
especially  whenever  he  approached  the  northern  boun 
daries  of  the  county;  or,  in  other  words,  the  neighborhood 
of  the  American  lines.  His  visits  to  the  Locusts  had  be 
come  less  frequent,  and  his  appearance  at  his  own  abode 
so  seldom,  as  to  draw  forth  from  the  disappointed  Katy, 
in  the  fulness  of  her  heart,  the  complaint  we  have 
related,  in  her  reply  to  Harper.  Nothing,  however, 
seemed  to  interfere  with  the  pursuits  of  this  indefati 
gable  trader,  who,  with  a  view  to  dispose  of  certain  arti 
cles  for  which  he  could  only  find  purchasers  in  thi- 
wealthiest  families  of  the  county,  had  now  bravt 
fury  of  the  tempest,  and  ventured  to  cross  the  half  mile 
between  his  own  residence  and  the  house  of  Mr.  Wharton. 

In  a  few  minutes  after  receiving  the  commands  of  1 
young    mistress,  Caesar  reappeared,  ushering    into   t 
apartment  the  subject  of  the  foregoing  digression, 
person,  the  peddler  was  a  man  above  the  middl 
spare,  but  full  of  bone  and  muscle.    At  first  sight 
strength  seemed  unequal  to  manage  the  unwield 
of  his  pack;  yet  he  threw  it  on  and  off  with  prt 
ity,  and  with  as  much  apparent  ease  as  i 
filled  with  feathers.     His  eyes  were  gray,  sui 
less,  and  for  the  flitting  moments  that  they  dwel 
countenance   of   those  with  whom  he  cor 
seemed  to  read  the  very  soul.    They  posses* 
two  distinct  expressions,  which  in  a  *»•*"£" 
acterized  the  whole  man.     When  engaged  in  traffic,  H 


30  THE  SPY 

intelligence  of  his  face  appeared  lively,  active,  and  flex 
ible,  though  uncommonly  acute;  if  the  conversation  turned 
on  the  ordinary  transactions  of  life,  his  air  became 
abstracted  and  restless;  but  if,  by  chance,  the  Revolution 
and  the  country  were  the  topic,  his  whole  system  seemed 
altered — all  his  faculties  were  concentrated;  he  would 
listen  for  a  great  length  of  time,  without  speaking,  and 
then  would  break  silence  by  some  light  and  jocular 
remark,  that  was  too  much  at  variance  with  his  former 
manner,  not  to  be  affectation.  But  of  the  war,  and  of  his 
father,  he  seldom  spoke,  and  always  from  some  very 
obvious  necessity. 

To  a  superficial  observer,  avarice  would  seem  his 
ruling  passion — and,  all  things  considered,  he  was  as 
unfit  a  subject  for  the  plans  of  Katy  Haynes  as  can  be 
readily  imagined.  On  entering  the  room,  the  peddler 
relieved  himself  from  his  burden,  which,  as  it  stood  on 
the  floor,  reached  nearly  to  his  shoulders,  and  saluted  the 
family  with  modest  civility.  To  Harper  he  made  a  silent 
bow,  without  lifting  his  eyes  from  the  carpet:  but  the 
curtain  prevented  any  notice  of  the  presence  of  Captain 
Wharton.  Sarah  gave  but  little  time  for  the  usual  salu 
tations,  before  she  commenced  her  survey  of  the  contents 
of  the  pack;  and,  for  several  minutes,  the  two  were 
engaged  in  bringing  to  light  the  various  articles  it  con 
tained.  The  tables,  chairs,  and  floor  were  soon  covered 
with  silks,  crapes,  gloves,  muslins,  and  all  the  stock  of 
an  itinerant  trader.  Caesar  was  employed  to  hold  open 
the  mouth  of  the  pack,  as  its  hoards  were  discharged, 
and  occasionally  he  aided  his  young  lady,  by  directing 
her  admiration  to  some  article  of  finery,  which,  from  its 
deeper  contrast  in  colors,  he  thought  more  worthy  of  her 
notice.  At  length,  Sarah,  having  selected  several  arti 
cles,  and  satisfactorily  arranged  the  prices,  observed,  in  a 
cheerful  voice: 

"But,  Harvey,  you  have  told  us  no  news.  Has  Lord 
Cornwallis  beaten  the  rebels  again?" 

The  question  could  not  have  been  heard;  for  the  ped 
dler,  burying  his  body  in  the  pack,  brought  forth  a 
quantity  of  lace  of  exquisite  fineness,  and,  holding  it  up 
to  view,  he  required  the  admiration  of  the  young  lady. 


THE  SPY  31 

Miss  Peyton  dropped  the  cup  she  was  engaged  in  wash 
ing,  from  her  hand;  and  Frances  exhibited  the  whole  of 
that  lovely  face,  which  had  hitherto  only  suffered  one  of 
its  joyous  eyes  to  be  seen,  beaming  with  a  color  that 
shamed  the  damask  which  enviously  concealed  her  figure. 

The  aunt  quitted  her  employment;  and  Birch  soon  dis 
posed  of  a  large  portion  of  this  valuable  article.  The 
praises  of  the  ladies  had  drawn  the  whole  person  of  the 
younger  sister  into  view;  and  Frances  was  slowly  rising 
from  the  window,  as  Sarah  repeated  her  question,  with 
an  exultation  in  her  voice,  that  proceeded  more  from 
pleasure  in  her  purchase,  than  her  political  feelings. 
The  younger  sister  resumed  her  seat,  apparently  exami 
ning  the  state  of  the  clouds,  while  the  peddler,  finding  a 
reply  was  expected,  answered  slowly: 

"There  is  some  talk,  below,  about  Tarleton  having  de 
feated  General  Sumter,  on  the  Tiger  River." 

Captain  Wharton  now  involuntarily  thrust  his  head 
between  the  opening  of  the  curtains  into  the  room;  and 
Frances,   turning  her  ear  in  breathless  silence,  no1 
the  quiet  eyes  of  Harper  looking  at  the  peddler,  over  t 
book  he  was  affecting  to  read,  with  an  express 
denoted  him  to  be  a  listener  of  no  ordinary  interest. 

"Indeed!"  cried  the  exulting  Sarah;  "Sumter- 
ter— who  is  he?    I'll  not  buy  even  a  pin,  until  yoi 
me  all  the  news,"  she  continued,  laughing  and 
down  a  muslin  she  had  been  examining. 

For  a  moment  the  peddler  hesitated;  his  JJMjjJ 
towards  Harper,  who  was  yet  gazing  at  him  » 

S 

<• 


Alt?    11  Vt/O    OVJlii*-'  wwm 

i§ii£335at— 


32  THE   SPY 

"A  black  man  so  good  as  white,  Miss  Sally,"  continued 
the  offended  negro,  "so  long  as  he  behaves  heself." 

"And  frequently  he  is  much  better,"  rejoined  his  mis 
tress;  "but,  Harvey,  who  is  this  Mr.  Sumter?" 

A  slight  indication  of  humor  showed  itself  on  the  face 
of  the  peddler,  but  it  disappeared,  and  he  continued  as  if 
the  discourse  had  met  with  no  interruption  from  the  sen 
sitiveness  of  the  domestic. 

"As  I  was  saying,  he  lives  among  the  colored  people 
in  the  south" — Cassar  resumed  his  occupation — "and  he 
has  lately  had  a  scrimmage  with  this  Colonel  Tarle- 
ton— 

"Who  defeated  him  of  course?"  cried  Sarah,  with  con 
fidence. 

"So  say  the  troops  at  Morrisania. " 

"But  what  do  you  say?"  Mr.  Wharton  ventured  to  in 
quire,  yet  speaking  in  a  low  tone. 

"I  repeat  but  what  I  hear,"  said  Birch,  offering  a 
piece  of  cloth  to  the  inspection  of  Sarah,  who  rejected  it 
in  silence,  evidently  determined  to  hear  more  before  she 
made  another  purchase. 

"They  say,  however,  at  the  Plains,"  the  peddler  con 
tinued,  first  throwing  his  eyes  again  around  the  room, 
and  letting  them  rest  for  an  instant  on  Harper,  "that 
Sumter  and  one  or  two  more  were  all  that  were  hurt, 
and  that  the  rig'lars  were  all  cut  to  pieces,  for  the  militia 
were  fixed  snugly  in  a  log  barn." 

"Not  very  probable,"  said  Sarah,  contemptuously, 
"though  I  make  no  doubt  the  rebels  got  behind  the  logs." 

"I  think,"  said  the  peddler,  coolly,  again  offering  the 
silk,  "it's  quite  ingenious  to  get  a  log  between  one  and  a 
gun,  instead  of  getting  between  a  gun  and  a  log." 

The  eyes  of  Harper  dropped  quietly  on  the  pages  of  the 
volume  in  his  hand,  while  Frances,  rising,  came  forward 
with  a  smile  in  her  face,  as  she  inquired,  in  a  tone  of 
affability  that  the  peddler  had  never  witnessed  from  the 
younger  sister: 

"Have  you  more  of  the  lace,  Mr.  Birch?" 

The  desired  article  was  immediately  produced,  and 
Frances  became  a  purchaser  also.  By  her  order  a  glass  of 
liquor  was  offered  to  the  trader,  who  took  it  with  thanks, 


THE  SPY  33 

and,  having  paid  his  compliments  to  the  master  of  the 
house  and  the  ladies,  drank  the  beverage. 

"So,  it  is  thought  that  Colonel  Tarleton  has  worsted 
General  Sumter?"  said  Mr.  Wharton,  affecting  to  be 
employed  in  mending  the  cup  that  was  broken  by  the 
eagerness  of  his  sister-in-law. 

"I  believe  they  think  so  at  Morrisania,"  said  Birch, 
dryly. 

"Have  you  any  other  news,  friend?"  asked  Captain 
Wharton,  venturing  to  thrust  his  face  without  the  cur 
tains  again. 

"Have  you  heard  that  Major  Andre  has  been  hanged?' 

Captain  Wharton  started,  and  for  a  moment  glances  of 
great  significance  were  exchanged  between  him  and  the 
trader,  when  he  observed,  with  affected  indifference, 
"That  must  have  been  some  weeks  ago." 

"Does  his  execution  make  much  noise?"  asked  the 
father,  striving  to  make  the  broken  china  unite. 

"People  will  talk,  you  know,  'squire." 

"Is  there  any  probability  of  movements  below,  my 
friend   that  will  make  travelling  dangerous?"  asked  I 
per,  looking  steadily  at  the  other,  in  expec 


ome  bunches  of  ribbons  fell  from  the  hands  of  Birch; 
his  countenance  changed  instantly,  losing  its  keen  expre 
sion  in  intent  meaning,  as  he  answered, 
some  time   since  the  rig'lar  cavalry  were  out 

C°"Are  they  in  much  force?"  asked  Mr.  Wharton,  sus 

pending  all  employment  in  anxiety. 

"I  did  not  count  them.  {    the 

Frances  was  the  only  obse  rvcr  of    he  chan  *e 

manner  of   Birch,  and,  on  turning  to  Harper        ^ 


*  a 

suffused  her  neck: 


34  THE   SPY 

"I  thought  the  southern  horse  had  marched  toward  the 
Delaware." 

"It  may  be  so,"  said  Birch;  "I  passed  the  troops  at  a 
distance. ' ' 

Caesar  had  now  selected  a  piece  of  calico,  in  which  the 
gaudy  colors  of  yellow  and  red  were  contrasted  on  a  white 
ground,  and,  after  admiring  it  for  several  minutes,  he 
laid  it  down  with  a  sigh,  as  he  exclaimed,  "Berry  pretty 
calico." 

"That,"  said  Sarah;  "yes,  that  would  make  a  proper 
gown  for  your  wife,  Caesar." 

"Yes,  Miss  Sally,"  cried  the  delighted  black,  "it  make 
old  Dinah  heart  leap  for  joy — so  berry  genteel." 

"Yes,"  added  the  peddler,  quaintly,  "that  is  only 
wanting  to  make  Dinah  look  like  a  rainbow." 

Caesar  eyed  his  young  mistress  eagerly,  until  she  in 
quired  of  Harvey  the  price  of  the  article. 

"Why,  much  as  I  light  of  chaps,"  said  the  peddler. 

"How  much?"  demanded  Sarah  in  surprise. 

"According  to  my  luck  in  finding  purchasers;  for  my 
friend  Dinah,  you  may  have  it  at  four  shillings." 

"It  is  too  much,"  said  Sarah,  turning  to  some  goods 
for  herself. 

"Monstrous  price  for  coarse  calico,  Mister  Birch," 
grumbled  Caesar,  dropping  the  opening  of  the  pack 
again. 

"We  will  say  three,  then,"  added  the  peddler,  "if  you 
like  that  better." 

"Be  sure  he  like  'em  better,"  said  Caesar,  smiling 
good-humoredly,  and  reopening  the  pack;  "Miss  Sally 
like  a  free  shilling  when  she  give,  and  a  four  shilling 
when  she  take." 

The  bargain  was  immediately  concluded;  but  in  meas 
uring  the  cloth  wanted  a  little  of  the  well-known  ten 
yards  required  by  the  dimensions  of  Dinah.  By  dint  of 
a  strong  arm,  however,  it  grew  to  the  desired  length, 
under  the  experienced  eye  of  the  peddler,  who  conscien 
tiously  added  a  ribbon  of  corresponding  brilliancy  with 
the  calico;  and  Caesar  hastily  withdrew,  to  communicate 
the  joyful  intelligence  to  his  aged  partner. 

During  the  movements  created  by  the  conclusion  of  the 


THE  SPY  35 

purchase,  Captain  Wharton  had  ventured  to  draw  aside 
the  curtain,  so  as  to  admit  a  view  of  his  person,  and  he 
now  inquired  of  the  peddler,  who  had  begun  to  collect  the 
scattered  goods,  at  what  time  he  had  left  the  city. 

"At  early  twilight,"  was  the  answer. 

"So  lately!"  cried  the  other  in  surprise;  and  then  cor 
recting  his  manner,  by  assuming  a  more  guarded  air,  he 
continued,  "could  you  pass  the  pickets  at  so  late  an 
hour?" 

"I  did,"  was  the  laconic  reply. 

"You  must  be  well  known  by  this  time,  Harvey,  to  the 
officers  of  the  British  army,"  cried  Sarah,  smiling  know 
ingly  on  the  peddler. 

"I  know  some  of  them  by  sight,"  said  Birch,  glancing 
his  eyes  round  the  apartment,  taking  in  their  course 
Captain  Wharton,  and  resting  for  an  instant  on  the  coun 
tenance  of  Harper. 

Mr.  Wharton  had  listened  intently  to  each  speake 
succession,  and  had  so  far  lost  the  affectation  of  indiffer 
ence,  as  to  be  crushing  in  his  hand  the  pieces  of  china  • 
which  he  had  expended  so  much  labor  in  endeavoring 
mend  it;  when,  observing  the  peddler  tying  the  last 
in  his  pack,  he  asked  abruptly: 

"Are  we  about  to  be  disturbed  again  with  the  enemy 

"Who  do  you  call  the  enemy?"  said  the  peddler  i 
ing  himself  erect,  and  giving  the  other  a  look  be: 
which  the  eyes  of  Mr.  Wharton  sunk  m  mstan  confus^ 

"All  are  enemies  who  disturb  our  peace      said  1 
Peyton,  observing  that  her  brother  was  unable  to  speak. 
"But  are  the  royal  troops  out  from  below? 

«'TiQ  rmite  likelv  they  soon  may  be,     returned 
raising  hT  pa*  from  t'he  floor,  and  preparing  to  le 

th™the  continentals,"  continued  Miss  Peyton,  mildly; 

tended  by  his  delighted  spou!*.  favorable 

The  race  of  blacks  of  which  ^^ly  servant, 
:  dwelling  of  his  master,  iden- 


36  THE   SPY 

tified  himself  with  the  welfare  of  those  whom  it  was  his 
lot  to  serve,  is  giving  place  in  every  direction  to  that 
vagrant  class  which  has  sprung  up  within  the  last  thirty 
years,  and  whose  members  roam  through  the  country  un 
fettered  by  principles,  and  uninfluenced  by  attachments. 
For  it  is  one  of  the  curses  of  slavery,  that  its  victims  be 
come  incompetent  to  the  attributes  of  a  freeman.  The 
short  curly  hair  of  Caesar  had  acquired  from  age  a  color 
ing  of  gray,  that  added  greatly  to  the  venerable  cast  of 
his  appearance.  Long  and  indefatigable  applications  of 
the  comb  had  straightened  the  close  curls  of  his  forehead, 
until  they  stood  erect  in  a  stiff  and  formal  brush,  that 
gave  at  least  two  inches  to  his  stature.  The  shining 
black  of  his  youth  had  lost  its  glistening  hue,  and  it  had 
been  succeeded  by  a  dingy  brown.  His  eyes,  which  stood 
at  a  most  formidable  distance  from  each  other,  were 
small,  and  characterized  by  an  expression  of  good  feeling, 
occasionally  interrupted  by  the  petulance  of  an  indulged 
servant;  they,  however,  now  danced  with  inward  delight. 
His  nose  possessed,  in  an  eminent  manner,  all  the  requi 
sites  for  smelling,  but  with  the  most  modest  unobtrusive- 
ness;  the  nostrils  being  abundantly  capacious,  without 
thrusting  themselves  in  the  way  of  their  neighbors.  His 
mouth  was  capacious  to  a  fault,  and  was  only  tolerated 
on  account  of  the  double  row  of  pearls  it  contained.  In 
person  Csesar  was  short,  and  we  should  say  square,  had 
not  all  the  angles  and  curves  of  his  figure  bid  defiance  to 
anything  like  mathematical  symmetry.  His  arms  were 
long  and  muscular,  and  terminated  by  two  bony  hands, 
that  exhibited  on  one  side  a  coloring  of  blackish  gray, 
and  on  the  other,  a  faded  pink.  But  it  was  in  his  legs 
that  nature  had  indulged  her  most  capricious  humor. 
There  was  an  abundance  of  material  injudiciously  used. 
The  calves  were  neither  before  nor  behind,  but  rather  on 
the  outer  side  of  the  limb,  inclining  forward,  and  so 
close  to  the  knee  as  to  render  the  free  use  of  that  joint  a 
subject  of  doubt.  In  the  foot,  considering  it  as  a  base  on 
which  the  body  was  to  rest,  Caesar  had  no  cause  of  com 
plaint,  unless,  indeed,  it  might  be  that  the  leg  was  placed 
so  near  the  centre  as  to  make  it  sometimes  a  matter  of 
dispute  whether  he  was  not  walking  backwards.  But 


THE  SPY  37 

whatever  might  be  the  faults  a  statuary  could  discover  in 
his  person,  the  heart  of  Ceesar  Thompson  was  in  the  right 
place,  and,  we  doubt  not,  of  very  just  dimensions. 

Accompanied  by  his  ancient  companion,  Caesar  now  ad 
vanced,  and  paid  his  tribute  of  gratitude  in  words. 
Sarah  received  them  with  great  complacency,  and  made  a 
few  compliments  to  the  taste  of  the  husband,  and  the 
probable  appearance  of  the  wife.  Frances,  with  a  face 
beaming  with  a  look  of  pleasure  that  corresponded  to  the 
smiling  countenances  of  the  blacks,  offered  the  service  of 
her  needle  in  fitting  the  admired  calico  to  its  future  uses. 
The  offer  was  humbly  and  gratefully  accepted. 

As  Caesar  followed  his  wife  and  the  peddler  from  the 
apartment,  and  was  in  the  act  of  closing  the  door,  he  in 
dulged  himself  in  a  grateful  soliloquy,  by  saying  aloud: 

"Good  little  lady — Miss  Fanny — take  care  of  he  fader 
— love  to  make  a  gown  for  old  Dinah,  too."  What  else 
his  feelings  might  have  induced  him  to  utter  is  unknown, 
but  the  sound  of  his  voice  was  heard  some  time  after  the 
distance  rendered  his  words  indistinct. 

Harper  had  dropped  his  book,  and  he  sat  an  admiring 
witness  of  the  scene;  and  Frances  enjoyed  a  double  satis 
faction,  as  she  received  an  approving  smile  from  a  face 
which  concealed,  under  the  traces  of  deep  thought  and 
engrossing  care,  the  benevolent  expression  which  charac 
terizes  all  the  best  feelings  of  the  human  heart. 


CHAPTER  IV 

"It  is  the  form,  the  eye,  the  word. 

The  bearing  of  that  stranger  lord, 

His  stature,  manly,  bold,  and  tall. 

Built  like  a  castle's  battled  wall, 

Yet  moulded  in  such  just  degrees 

His  giant  strength  seems  lightsome  ease. 

Weather  and  war  their  rougher  trace 

Have  left  on  that  majestic  face; 

But  'tis  his  dignity  of  eye  ! 

There,  if  a  suppliant,  would  I  fly, 

Secure,  'mid  danger,  wrongs,  and  grief, 

Of  sympathy,  redress,  relief — 

That  glance,  if  guilty,  would  I  dread 

More  than  the  doom  that  spoke  me  dead." 

"Enough,  enough  !"  the  princess  cried, 

"  'Tis  Scotland's  hope,  her  joy,  her  pride!" 

—WALTER  SCOTT. 

THE  party  sat  in  silence  for  many  minutes  after  the 
peddler  had  withdrawn.  Mr.  Wharton  had  heard  enough 
to  increase  his  uneasiness,  without  in  the  least  removing 
his  apprehensions  on  behalf  of  his  son.  The  captain  was 
impatiently  wishing  Harper  in  any  other  place  than  the 
one  he  occupied  with  such  apparent  composure,  while 
Miss  Peyton  completed  the  disposal  of  her  breakfast 
equipage,  with  the  mild  complacency  of  her  nature,  aided 
a  little  by  an  inward  satisfaction  at  possessing  so  large  a 
portion  of  the  trader's  lace;  Sarah  was  busily  occupied  in 
arranging  her  purchases,  and  Frances  was  kindly  assisting 
in  the  occupation,  disregarding  her  own  neglected  bar 
gains,  when  the  stranger  suddenly  broke  the  silence  by 
saying: 

"If  any  apprehensions  of  me  induce  Captain  Wharton 
to  maintain  his  disguise,  I  wish  him  to  be  undeceived; 
had  I  motives  for  betraying  him,  they  could  not  operate 
under  present  circumstances." 

The  younger  sister  sank  into  her  seat  colorless  and 
astonished.  Miss  Peyton  dropped  the  tea-tray  she  was 
lifting  from  the  table,  and  Sarah  sat  with  her  purchases 
unheeded  in  her  lap,  in  speechless  surprise,  Mr.  Whar- 

38 


THE  SPY  39 

ton  was  stupefied;  but  the  captain,  hesitating  a  moment 
from  astonishment,  sprang  into  the  middle  of  the  room, 
and  exclaimed,  as  he  tore  off  the  instruments  of  his 
disguise: 

"I  believe  you  from  my  soul,  and  this  tiresome  impo 
sition  shall  continue  no  longer.  Yet  I  am  at  a  loss  to 
conceive  in  what  manner  you  should  know  me." 

"You  really  look  so  much  better  in  your  proper  person, 
Captain  Wharton,"  said  Harper,  with  a  slight  smile,  "I 
would  advise  you  never  to  conceal  it  in  future.  There  is 
enough  to  betray  you,  if  other  sources  of  detection  were 
wanting;"  as  he  spoke,  he  pointed  to  a  picture  suspended 
over  the  mantelpiece,  which  exhibited  the  British  officer 
in  his  regimentals. 

"I  had  flattered  myself,"  cried  young  Wharton,  with  a 
laugh,  "that  I  looked  better  on  the  canvas  than  in  a  mas 
querade.  You  must  be  a  close  observer,  sir." 

"Necessity  has  made  me  one,"  said  Harper,  rising 
from  his  seat. 

Frances  met  him  as  he  was  about  to  withdraw,  and, 
taking  his  hand  between  both  her  own,  said,  with  earnest 
ness,  her  cheeks  mantling  with  their  richest  vermilion, 
"You  cannot— you  will  not  betray  my  brother." 

For  an  instant  Harper  paused  in  silent  admiration  of 
the  lovely  pleader,  and  then,  folding  her  hands  on  h 
breast,  he  replied,  solemnly,  "I  cannot,  and  I  will  not;' 
he  released  her  hands,  and  laying  his  own  on  her  neac 
gently,  continued,   "If  the  blessing  of  a  stranger  can 
profit  you,   receive  it."     He  turned,  and,  bowing  low. 
retired,  with   a  delicacy  that  was  duly  appreciated  by 
those  he  quitted,  to  his  own  apartment. 

The  whole  party  were  deeply  impressed  witl 
genuous  and  solemn  manner  of  the  traveller,  a 
the   father   found    immediate   relief   in  his  dec 1  ration 
Some  of  the  cast-off  clothes  of  the  captain,  which  h 
S  removed  with  the  goods  from  the  city,  were  prc 
ducedTnd  young  Wharton,  released  from  the  uneasiness 
of  his'  dTsguise,  began  at  last  to  enjoy  a  visit  which  had 
been  undertaken   at   so  much  personal   risk  t       un«lf. 
Mr    Wharton  retiring  to  his  apartment,  in  pursu 

~ng(  the  ladies,  with  the  young  man, 


40  THE   SPY 

were  left  to  an  uninterrupted  communication  on  such  sub 
jects  as  were  most  agreeable.  Even  Miss  Peyton  was 
affected  with  the  spirits  of  her  young  relatives;  and  they 
sat  for  an  hour  enjoying,  in  heedless  confidence,  the 
pleasures  of  an  unrestrained  conversation,  without  reflect 
ing  on  any  danger  which  might  be  impending  over  them. 
The  city  and  their  acquaintances  were  not  long  neglected; 
for  Miss  Peyton,  who  had  never  forgotten  the  many  agree 
able  hours  of  her  residence  within  its  boundaries,  soon 
inquired,  among  others,  after  their  old  acquaintance, 
Colonel  Wellmere. 

"Oh!"  cried  the  captain,  gayly,  "he  yet  continues 
there,  as  handsome  and  as  gallant  as  ever." 

Although  a  woman  be  not  actually  in  love,  she  seldom 
hears  without  a  blush  the  name  of  a  man  whom  she 
might  love,  and  who  has  been  connected  with  herself  by 
idle  gossips,  in  the  amatory  rumor  of  the  day.  Such  had 
been  the  case  with  Sarah,  and  she  dropped  her  eyes  on 
the  carpet  with  a  smile,  that,  aided  by  the  blush  which 
suffused  her  cheek,  in  no  degree  detracted  from  her 
native  charms. 

Captain  Wharton,  without  heeding  this  display  of 
interest  in  his  sister,  immediately  continued,  "At  times 
he  is  melancholy — we  tell  him  it  must  be  love."  Sarah 
raised  her  eyes  to  the  face  of  her  brother,  and  was  con 
sciously  turning  them  on  the  rest  of  the  party,  when  she 
met  those  of  her  sister,  laughing  with  good  humor  and 
high  spirits,  as  she  cried,  "Poor  man!  does  he  despair?" 

"Why,  no — one  would  think  he  could  not;  the  eldest 
son  of  a  man  of  wealth,  so  handsome,  and  a  colonel." 

"Strong  reasons,  indeed,  why  he  should  prevail,"  said 
Sarah,  endeavoring  to  laugh;  "more  particularly  the 
latter." 

"Let  me  tell  you,"  replied  the  captain,  gravely,  "a 
lieutenant-colonelcy  in  the  Guards  is  a  very  pretty 
thing." 

"And  Colonel  Wellmere  a  very  pretty  man,"  added 
Frances. 

"Nay,  Frances,"  returned  her  sister,  "Colonel  Well- 
mere  was  never  a  favorite  of  yours;  he  is  too  loyal  to  his 
king  to  be  agreeable  to  your  taste. ' ' 


THE  SPY  41 

Frances  quickly  answered,  "And  is  not  Henry  loyal  to 
his  king?" 

''Come,  come,"  said  Miss  Peyton,  "no  difference  of 
opinion  about  the  colonel — he  is  a  favorite  of  mine." 

"Fanny  likes  majors  better,"  cried  the  brother,  pull 
ing  her  upon  his  knee. 

"Nonsense!"  said  the  blushing  girl,  as  she  endeavored 
to  extricate  herself  from  the  grasp  of  her  laughing 
brother. 

"It  surprises  me,"  continued  the  captain,  "that  Pey 
ton,  when  he  procured  the  release  of  my  father,  did  not 
endeavor  to  detain  my  sister  in  the  rebel  camp." 

"That  might  have  endangered  his  own  liberty,"  said 
the  smiling  girl,  resuming  her  seat;  "you  know  it  is  lib 
erty  for  which  Major  Dunwoodie  is  fighting." 

"Liberty!"  exclaimed  Sarah;  "very  pretty  liberty 
which  exchanges  one  master  for  fifty." 

"The  privilege  of  changing  masters  at  all  is  a  liberty." 

"And  one  you  ladies  would  sometimes  be  glad  to  exer 
cise,"  cried  the  captain. 

"We  like,  I  believe,  to  have  the  liberty  of  choosing 
who  they  shall  be  in  the  first  place,"  said  the  laughing 
girl;  "don't  we,  Aunt  Jeanette?" 

"Me!"  cried  Miss  Peyton,  starting;  "what  do  I  know 
of  such  things,  child?  you  must  ask  some  one  else,  if  you 
wish  to  learn  such  matters. 

"Ah!  you  would  have  us  think  you  were  never  young! 
but  what  am  I  to  believe  of  all  the  tales^I  have  heard 
about  the  handsome  Miss  Jeanette  Peyton?" 

"Nonsense,  my  dear,  nonsense,"  said  the  aunt,  endeav 
oring  to  suppress  a  smile;  "it  is  very  silly  to  believe 
you  hear." 

"Nonsense,  do  you  call  it?"  cried  the  captain 
"to  this  hour  General  Montrose  toasts  Miss  Peyto 
heard  him  within  the  week,  at  Sir  Henry's  tabl< 

"Why   Henry  you  are  as  saucy  as  your  sister;  a 
break  in'upon  your  folly,  I  must  take  you  to  see 
home-made  manufactures,  which  I  will  be  bold  enough  t< 
put  in  contrast  with  the  finery  of  ] 

The  young  people  rose  to  follow  their  aunt,  in  pe> 
good  humor  with  each  other  and  the  world.     On  ascer 


42  THE   SPY 

Ing  the  stairs  to  the  place  of  deposit  for  Miss  Peyton's 
articles  of  domestic  economy,  she  availed  herself,  how 
ever,  of  an  opportunity  to  inquire  of  her  nephew,  whether 
General  Montrose  suffered  as  much  from  the  gout  as  he 
had  done  when  she  knew  him. 

It  is  a  painful  discovery  we  make,  as  we  advance  in 
life,  that  even  those  we  most  love  are  not  exempt  from 
its  frailties.  When  the  heart  is  fresh,  and  the  view  of 
the  future  unsullied  by  the  blemishes  which  have  been 
gathered  from  the  experience  of  the  past,  our  feelings  are 
most  holy:  we  love  to  identify  with  the  persons  of  our 
natural  friends  all  those  qualities  to  which  we  ourselves 
aspire,  and  all  those  virtues  we  have  been  taught  to 
revere.  The  confidence  with  which  we  esteem  seems  a 
part  of  our  nature;  and  there  is  a  purity  thrown  around 
the  affections  which  tie  us  to  our  kindred,  that  after-life 
can  seldom  hope  to  see  uninjured.  The  family  of  Mr. 
Wharton  continued  to  enjoy,  for  the  remainder  of  the 
day,  a  happiness  to  which  they  had  long  been  strangers; 
and  one  that  sprung,  in  its  younger  members,  from  the 
delights  of  the  most  confident  affection,  and  the  exchange 
of  the  most  disinterested  endearments. 

Harper  appeared  only  at  the  dinner-table,  and  he 
retired  with  the  cloth,  under  the  pretence  of  some 
engagement  in  his  own  room.  Notwithstanding  the  con 
fidence  created  by  his  manner,  the  family  felt  his  absence 
a  relief;  for  the  visit  of  Captain  Wharton  was  necessarily 
to  be  confined  to  a  very  few  days,  both  from  the  limi 
tation  of  his  leave  of  absence,  and  the  danger -of  a  dis 
covery. 

All  dread  of  consequences,  however,  was  lost  in  the 
pleasure  of  the  meeting.  Once  or  twice  during  the  day, 
Mr.  Wharton  had  suggested  a  doubt  as  to  the  character 
of  his  unknown  guest,  and  the  possibility  of  the  detection 
of  his  son  proceeding  in  some  manner  from  his  informa 
tion:  but  the  idea  was  earnestly  opposed  by  all  his  chil 
dren;  even  Sarah  uniting  with  her  brother  and  sister  in 
pleading  warmly  in  favor  of  the  sincerity  expressed  in 
the  outward  appearance  of  the  traveller. 

"Such  appearances,  my  children,"  replied  the  despond 
ing  parent,  "are  but  too  often  deceitful;  when  men  like 


THE  SPY  43 

Major  Andre  lend  themselves  to  the  purposes  of  fraud   it 
is  idle  to  reason  from  qualities,  much  less  externals  "' 

.  !?.«'  -Cried  his  son  <luickly;  "surely,  sir,  you  for 
get  that  Major  Andre  was  serving  his  king,  and  that  the 
usages  of  war  justified  the  measure." 

"And   did   not  the   usages  of  war  justify  his  death 
Henry?     inquired  Frances,  speaking  in  a  low  voice,  un 
willing  to  abandon  what  she  thought  the  cause  of  her 
country,  and  yet  unable  to  suppress  her  feelings  for  the 
man. 

"Never!"  exclaimed  the  young  man,  springing  from 
his  seat,  and  pacing  the  floor  rapidly;  "Frances,  you 
shock  me;  suppose  it  should  be  my  fate,  even  now,  to  fall 
into  the  power  of  the  rebels;  you  would  vindicate  my 
execution — perhaps  exult  in  the  cruelty  of  Washington." 

"Henry!"  said  Frances,  solemnly,  quivering  with  emo 
tion,  and  with  a  face  pale  as  death,  "you  little  know  my 
heart." 

"Pardon  me,  my  sister— my  little  Fanny,"  cried  the 
repentant  youth,  pressing  her  to  his  bosom,  and  kissing 
off  the  tears  which  had  burst,  in  spite  of  her  resolution, 
from  her  eyes. 

"It  is  very  foolish  to  regard  your  hasty  words,  I 
know,"  said  Frances,  extricating  herself  from  his  arms, 
and  raising  her  yet  humid  eyes  to  his  face  with  a  smile; 
"but  reproach  from  those  we  love  is  most  severe,  Henry; 
particularly — where  we — we  think — we  know" — her  pale 
ness  gradually  gave  place  to  the  color  of  the  rose,  as  she 
concluded  in  a  low  voice,  with  her  eyes  directed  to  the 
carpet,  "we  are  undeserving  of  it." 

Miss  Peyton  moved  from  her  own  seat  to  the  one  next 
her  niece,  and,  kindly  taking  her  hand,  observed,  "You 
should  not  suffer  the  impetuosity  of  your  brother  to 
affect  you  so  much;  boys,  you  know,  are  proverbially 
ungovernable. ' ' 

"And,  from  my  conduct,  you  might  add  cruel, 
the  captain,  seating  himself  on  the  other  side  of  his  sis 
ter;  "but  on  the  subject  of  the  death  of  Andre  we  are  all 
of  us  uncommonly  sensitive.     You  did  not  know  him:  1 
was  all  that  was  brave— that  was  accomplished- 
estimable.  ' '     Frances  smiled  faintly,  and  shook  her  head, 


44  THE   SPY 

but  made  no  reply.  Her  brother,  observing  the  marks  of 
incredulity  in  her  countenance,  continued,  "You  doubt 
it,  and  justify  his  death?" 

"I  do  not  doubt  his  worth,"  replied  the  maid,  mildly, 
"nor  his  being  deserving  of  a  more  happy  fate;  but  I 
cannot  doubt  the  propriety  of  Washington's  conduct.  I 
know  but  little  of  the  customs  of  war,  and  wish  to  know 
less;  but  with  what  hopes  of  success  could  the  Americans 
contend,  if  they  yielded  all  the  principles  which  long 
usage  had  established,  to  the  exclusive  purposes  of  the 
British?" 

"Why  contend  at  all?"  cried  Sarah,  impatiently;  "be 
sides,  being  rebels,  all  their  acts  are  illegal." 

"Women  are  but  mirrors,  which  reflect  the  images  be 
fore  them,"  cried  the  captain,  good-naturedly.  "In 
Frances  I  see  the  picture  of  Major  Dunwoodie,  and  in 
Sarah— 

"Colonel  Wellmere, "  interrupted  the  younger  sister, 
laughing,  and  blushing  crimson.  "I  must  confess  I  am 
indebted  to  the  major  for  my  reasoning — am  I  not,  Aunt 
Jeanette?" 

"I  believe  it  is  something  like  his  logic,  indeed, 
child." 

"I  plead  guilty;  and  you,  Sarah,  have  not  forgotten 
the  learned  discussions  of  Colonel  Wellmere." 

"I  trust  I  never  forget  the  right,"  said  Sarah,  emulat 
ing  her  sister  in  color,  and  rising,  under  the  pretence  of 
avoiding  the  heat  of  the  fire. 

Nothing  occurred  of  any  moment  during  the  rest  of  the 
day;  but  in  the  evening  Csesar  reported  that  he  had  over 
heard  voices  in  the  room  of  Harper,  conversing  in  a  low 
tone.  The  apartment  occupied  by  the  traveller  was  the 
wing  at  the  extremity  of  the  building,  opposite  to  the 
parlor  in  which  the  family  ordinarily  assembled;  and  it 
seems  that  Caesar  had  established  a  regular  system  of 
espionage,  with  a  view  to  the  safety  of  his  young  master. 
This  intelligence  gave  some  uneasiness  to  all  the  members 
of  the  family;  but  the  entrance  of  Harper  himself,  with 
the  air  of  benevolence  and  sincerity  which  shone  through 
his  reserve,  soon  removed  the  doubts  from  the  breast  of 
all  but  Mr.  Wharton.  His  children  and  sister  believed 


THE  SPY  45 

Caesar  to  have  been  mistaken,  and  the  evening  passed  off 
without  any  additional  alarm. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  succeeding  day,  the  party  were 
assembled  in  the  parlor  around  the  tea-table  of  Miss  Pey 
ton,  when  a  change  in  the  weather  occurred.  The  thin 
scud,  that  apparently  floated  but  a  short  distance  above 
the  tops  of  the  hills,  began  to  drive  from  the  west  toward 
the  east  in  astonishing  rapidity.  The  rain  yet  continued 
to  beat  against  the  eastern  windows  of  the  house  with 
fury;  in  that  direction  the  heavens  were  dark  and  gloomy. 
Frances  was  gazing  at  the  scene  with  the  desire  of  youth 
to  escape  from  the  tedium  of  confinement,  when,  as  if  by 
magic,  all  was  still.  The  rushing  winds  had  ceased,  the 
pelting  of  the  storm  was  over,  and,  springing  to  the  win 
dow,  with  delight  pictured  in  her  face,  she  saw  a  glorious 
ray  of  sunshine  lighting  the  opposite  wood.  The  foliage 
glittered  with  the  checkered  beauties  of  the  October  leaf, 
reflecting  back  from  the  moistened  boughs  the  richest 
lustre  of  an  American  autumn.  In  an  instant,  the  piaz 
za,  which  opened  to  the  south,  was  thronged  with  the 
inmates  of  the  cottage.  The  air  was  mild,  balmy,  and 
refreshing;  in  the  east,  clouds,  which  might  be  likened  to 
the  retreating  masses  of  a  discomfited  army,  hung  around 
the  horizon  in  awful  and  increasing  darkness.  At  a  little 
elevation  above  the  cottage,  the  thin  vapor  was  still  rush 
ing  towards  the  east  with  amazing  velocity;  while  in  the 
west  the  sun  had  broken  forth  and  shed  his  parting  radi 
ance  on  the  scene  below,  aided  by  the  fullest  richness  of  a 
clear  atmosphere  and  a  freshened  herbage.  Such  moments 
belong  only  to  the  climate  of  America,  and  are  enjoyed 
in  a  degree  proportioned  to  the  suddenness  of  the  con 
trast,  and  the  pleasure  we  experience  in  escaping  from 
the  turbulence  of  the  elements  to  the  quiet  of  a  peaceful 
evening,  and  an  air  still  as  the  softest  mornings  in  June. 

"What  a  magnificent  scene!"  said  Harper,  in  a  low 
tone;  "how  grand!  how  awfully  sublime!— may  such  a 
quiet  speedily  await  the  struggle  in  which  my  countr; 
engaged,  and  such  a  glorious  evening  follow  the  day  o 
her  adversity!" 

Frances,  who  stood  next  to  him,  alone  heard  the  < 
Turning  in  amazement  from  the  view  to  the  speaker,  si 


46  THE   SPY 

saw  him  standing  bareheaded,  erect,  and  with  his  eyes 
lifted  to  heaven.  There  was  no  longer  the  quiet  which 
had  seemed  their  characteristic,  but  they  were  lighted 
into  something  like  enthusiasm,  and  a  slight  flush  passed 
over  his  features. 

There  can  be  no  danger  apprehended  from  such  a  man, 
thought  Frances;  such  feelings  belong  only  to  the  vir 
tuous. 

The  musings  of  the  party  were  now  interrupted  by  the 
sudden  appearance  of  the  peddler.  He  had  taken  advan 
tage  of  the  first  gleam  of  sunshine  to  hasten  to  the  cot 
tage.  Heedless  of  wet  or  dry  as  it  lay  in  his  path,  with 
arms  swinging  to  and  fro,  and  with  his  head  bent  for 
ward  of  his  body  several  inches,  Harvey  Birch  approached 
the  piazza,  with  a  gait  peculiarly  his  own.  It  was  the 
quick,  lengthened  pace  of  an  itinerant  vender  of  goods. 

''Fine  evening, "  said  the  peddler,  saluting  the  party, 
without  raising  his  eyes;  "quite  warm  and  agreeable  for 
the  season." 

Mr.  Wharton  assented  to  the  remark,  and  inquired 
kindly  after  the  health  of  his  father.  Harvey  heard  him, 
and  continued  standing  for  some  time  in  moody  silence; 
but  the  question  being  repeated,  he  answered  with  a 
slight  tremor  in  his  voice: 

"He  fails  fast;  old  age  and  hardships  will  do  their 
work. ' '  The  peddler  turned  his  face  from  the  view  of 
most  of  the  family;  but  Frances  noticed  his  glistening  eyes 
and  quivering  lip,  and,  for  the  second  time,  Harvey  rose 
in  her  estimation. 

The  valley  in  which  the  residence  of  Mr.  Wharton 
stood  ran  in  a  direction  from  northwest  to  southeast,  and 
the  house  was  placed  on  the  side  of  a  wall  which  termi 
nated  its  length  in  the  former  direction.  A  small  open 
ing,  occasioned  by  the  receding  of  the  opposite  hill,  and 
the  fall  of  the  land  to  the  level  of  the  tide  water,  afforded 
a  view  of  the  Sound *  over  the  tops  of  the  distant  woods 
on  its  margin.  The  surface  of  the  water  which  had  so 


1  An  island  more  than  forty  leagues  in  length  lies  opposite  the  coasts  of  New 
York  and  Connecticut.  The  arm  of  the  sea  which  separates  it  from  the  main 
is  technically  called  a  sound,  and  in  that  part  of  the  country  par  excellence, 
The  Sound.  This  sheet  of  water  varies  in  its  breadth  from  five  to  thirty  miles. 


THE   SPY  47 


was 
ilar 
air 


lately  been  lashing  the  shores  with  boisterous  fury 
already  losing  its  ruffled  darkness  in  the  long  and  reg 
undulations  that  succeeded  a  tempest,  while  the  light  ar 
from  the  southwest  was  gently  touching  their  summits, 
lending  its  feeble  aid  in  stilling  the  waters.  Some  dark 
spots  were  now  to  be  distinguished,  occasionally  rising 
into  view,  and  again  sinking  behind  the  lengthened  waves 
which  interposed  themselves  to  the  sight.  They  were 
unnoticed  by  all  but  the  peddler.  He  had  seated  himself 
on  the  piazza,  at  a  distance  from  Harper,  and  appeared 
to  have  forgotten  the  object  of  his  visit.  His  roving 
eye,  however,  soon  caught  a  glimpse  of  these  new  objects 
in  the  view,  and  he  sprang  up  with  alacrity,  gazing  in 
tently  towards  the  water.  He  changed  his  place,  glanced 
his  eye  with  marked  uneasiness  on  Harper,  and  then  said 
with  great  emphasis: 

"The  rig'lars  must  be  out  from  below." 
"Why  do  you  think  so?"   inquired  Captain  Wharton, 
eagerly.     "God  send  it  may  be  true;  I  want  their  escort 
in  again." 

"Them  ten  whaleboats  would  not  move  so  fast  unless 
they  were  better  manned  than  common." 

"Perhaps,"   cried  Mr.   Wharton  in  alarm,  "they  are 
— they  are  continentals  returning  from  the  island." 

"They   look   like   rig'lars,"    said   the  peddler,    with 
meaning. 

"Look!"  ^repeated  the  captain,  "there  is  nothing  but 
spots  to  be  seen." 

Harvey  disregarded  his  observation,  but  seemed  to  be 
soliloquizing,  as  he  said  in  an  undertone,  "They  came 
out  before  the  gale — have  laid  on  the  island  these  two 
days — horse  are  on  the  road — there  will  soon  be  fighting 
near  us."  During  this  speech,  Birch  several  times 
glanced  his  eye  towards  Harper,  with  evident  uneasiness 
but  no  corresponding  emotion  betrayed  any  interest  of 
that  gentleman  in  the  scene.  He  stood  in  silent  contem 
plation  of  the  view,  and  seemed  enjoying  the  change  in 
the  air.  As  Birch  concluded,  however,  Harper  turned  to 
his  host,  and  mentioned  that  his  business  would  not  admit 
of  unnecessary  delay;  he  would,  therefore,  avail  hi rr 
of  the  fine  evening  to  ride  a  few  miles  on  his  journey. 


48  THE   SPY 

Mr.  Wharton  made  many  professions  of  regret  at  losing 
so  agreeable  an  inmate;  but  was  too  mindful  of  his  duty 
not  to  speed  the  parting  guest,  and  orders  were  instantly 
given  to  that  effect. 

The  uneasiness  of  the  peddler  increased  in  a  manner  for 
which  nothing  apparent  could  account;  his  eye  was  con 
stantly  wandering  towards  the  lower  end  of  the  vale,  as 
if  in  expectation  of  some  interruption  from  that  quarter. 
At  length  Csesar  appeared,  leading  the  noble  beast  which 
was  to  bear  the  weight  of  the  traveller.  The  peddler 
officiously  assisted  to  tighten  the  girths,  and  fasten  the 
blue  cloak  and  valise  to  the  mail-straps. 

Every  preparation  being  completed,  Harper  proceeded 
to  take  his  leave.  To  Sarah  and  her  aunt  he  paid  his 
compliments  with  ease  and  kindness;  but  when  he  came 
to  Frances,  he  paused  a  moment,  while  his  face  assumed 
an  expression  of  more  than  ordinary  benignity.  His  eye 
repeated  the  blessing  which  had  before  fallen  from  his 
lips,  and  the  girl  felt  her  cheeks  glow,  and  her  heart  beat 
with  a  quicker  pulsation,  as  he  spoke  his  adieus.  There 
was  a  mutual  exchange  of  polite  courtesy  between  the  host 
and  his  parting  guest;  but  as  Harper  frankly  offered  his 
hand  to  Captain  Wharton,  he  remarked,  in  a  manner  of 
great  solemnity: 

"The  step  you  have  undertaken  is  one  of  much  danger, 
and  disagreeable  consequences  to  yourself  may  result  from 
it;  in  such  a  case,  I  may  have  it  in  my  power  to  prove 
the  gratitude  I  owe  your  family  for  its  kindness." 

"Surely,  sir,"  cried  the  father,  losing  sight  of  delicacy 
in  apprehension  for  his  child,  "you  will  keep  secret  the 
discovery  which  your  being  in  my  house  has  enabled  you 
to  make?" 

Harper  turned  quickly  to  the  speaker,  and  then,  losing 
the  sternness  which  had  begun  to  gather  on  his  counte 
nance,  he  answered  mildly,  "I  have  learnt  nothing  in 
your  family,  sir,  of  which  I  was  ignorant  before;  but 
your  son  is  safer  from  my  knowledge  of  his  visit  than  he 
would  be  without  it." 

He  bowed  to  the  whole  party,  and  without  taking  any 
notice  of  the  peddler,  other  than  by  simply  thanking  him 
for  his  attentions,  mounted  his  horse,  and.  riding  steadily 


THE  SPY  49 

and  gracefully  through  the  little  gate,  was  soon  lost  be- 
hind  the  hill  which  sheltered  the  valley  to  the  north- 

The  eyes  of  the  peddler  followed  the  retiring  figure  of 
the  horseman  so  long  as  it  continued  within  view,  and  as 
it  disappeared  from  his  sight,  he  drew  a  long  and  heavy 
sigh,  as  if  relieved  from  a  lead  of  apprehension.  The 
Whartons  had  meditated  in  silence  on  the  character  and 
visit  of  their  unknown  guest  for  the  same  period,  when 
the  father  approached  Birch,  and  observed: 

"I  am  yet  your  debtor,  Harvey,  for  the  tobacco  you 
were  so  kind  as  to  bring  me  from  the  city." 

"If  it  should  not  prove  so  good  as  the  first,"  replied 
the  peddler,  fixing  a  last  and  lingering  look  in  the  direc 
tion  of  Harper's  route,  "it  is  owing  to  the  scarcity  of 
the  article." 

"I  like  it  much,"  continued  the  other;  "but  you  have 
forgotten  to  name  the  price." 

The  countenance  of  the  trader  changed,  and,  losing  its 
expression  of  deep  care  in  a  natural  acuteness,  he  an 
swered  : 

"It  is  hard  to  say  what  ought  to  be  the  price:  I  believe 
I  must  leave  it  to  your  own  generosity. ' ' 

Mr.  Wharton  had  taken  a  hand  well  filled  with  the 
images  of  Carolus  III.  from  his  pocket,  and  now  extended 
it  towards  Birch  with  three  of  the  pieces  between  his 
finger  and  thumb.  Harvey's  eyes  twinkled  as  he  contem 
plated  the  reward;  and  rolling  over  in  his  mouth  a  large 
quantity  of  the  article  in  question,  coolly  stretched  forth 
his  hand,  into  which  the  dollars  fell  with  a  most  agreeable 
sound:  but  not  satisfied  with  the  transient  music  of  their 
fall,  the  peddler  gave  each  piece  in  succession  a  ring  on 
the  stepping-stone  of  the  piazza,  before  he  consigned  it 
to  the  safe-keeping  of  a  huge  deerskin  purse,  which  van 
ished  from  the  sight  of  the  spectators  so  dexterously,  that 
not  one  of  them  could  have  told  about  what  part  of  his 
person  it  was  secreted. 

This  very  material  point  in  his  business  so  s 
torily  completed,  the  peddler  rose  from  his  seat  on  the  fl 
of  the  piazza,  and  approached  to  where  Captain  \\nartp 
stood,  supporting  his  sisters  on  either  arm,  as  they  li 


50  THE   SPY 

tened  with  the  lively  interest  of  affection  to  his  conversa 
tion. 

The  agitation  of  the  preceding  incidents  had  caused 
such  an  expenditure  of  the  juices  which  had  become 
necessary  to  the  mouth  of  the  peddler,  that  a  new  supply 
of  the  weed  was  required  before  he  could  turn  his  atten 
tion  to  business  of  lesser  moment.  This  done,  he  asked 
abruptly : 

"Captain  "Wharton,  do  you  go  in  to-night?" 

"No!"  said  the  captain,  laconically,  and  looking  at  his 
lovely  burdens  with  great  affection.  "Mr.  Birch,  would 
you  have  me  leave  such  company  so  soon,  when  I  may 
never  enjoy  it  again?" 

"Brother!"  said  Frances,  "jesting  on  such  a  subject  is 
cruel!" 

"I  rather  guess,"  continued  the  peddler,  coolly,  "now 
the  storm  is  over,  the  Skinners  may  be  moving;  you  had 
better  shorten  your  visit,  Captain  Wharton." 

"Oh!"  cried  the  British  officer,  "a  few  guineas  will 
buy  off  those  rascals  at  any  time,  should  I  meet  them. 
No,  no,  Mr.  Birch,  here  I  stay  until  morning." 

"Money  could  not  liberate  Major  Andre,"  said  the 
peddler,  dryly. 

Both  the  sisters  now  turned  to  the  captain  in  alarm, 
and  the  elder  observed: 

"You  had  better  take  the  advice  of  Harvey;  rest  as 
sured,  brother,  his  opinion  in  such  matters  ought  not  to 
be  disregarded." 

"Yes,"  added  the  younger,  "if,  as  I  suspect,  Mr. 
Birch  assisted  you  to  come  here,  your  safety,  or  happi 
ness,  dear  Henry,  requires  you  to  listen  to  him  now." 

"I  brought  myself  out,  and  can  take  myself  in,"  said 
the  captain  positively;  "our  bargain  went  no  further 
than  to  procure  my  disguise,  and  to  let  me  know  when 
the  coast  was  clear;  and  in  the  latter  particular,  you 
were  mistaken,  Mr.  Birch." 

"I  was,"  said  the  peddler,  with  some  interest,  "and 
the  greater  is  the  reason  why  you  should  get  back  to 
night;  the  pass  I  gave  you  will  serve  but  once." 

"Cannot  you  forge  another?" 

The  pale  cheek  of  the  trader  showed  an  unusual  color, 


THE  SPY  51 

but  he  continued  silent,  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  the 
ground  until  the  young  man  added,  with  great  positive- 
ness  Here  I  stay  this  night,  come  what  will  " 

Captain  Wharton,"  said  the  peddler,  with  great  delib 
eration  and  marked  emphasis,  "beware  a  tall  Virginian 
with  huge  whiskers;   he  is  below  you,    to   my   knowll 
edge;    the   devil   can't  deceive  him;  I  never  could  but 
once. 

"Let  him  beware  of  me,"  said  Wharton,  haughtily; 
but,  Mr.  Birch,  I  exonerate  you  from  further  responsi 
bility." 

"Will  you  give  me  that  in  writing?"  asked  the  cau 
tious  Birch. 

"Oh!  cheerfully,"  cried  the  captain,  with  a  laugh; 
"Csesar!  pen,  ink,  and  paper,  while  I  write  a  discharge 
for  my  trusty  attendant,  Harvey  Birch,  peddler,  etc., 
etc." 

The  implements  for  writing  were  produced,  and  the 
captain,  with  great  gayety,  wrote  the  desired  acknowl 
edgment  in  language  of  his  own;  which  the  peddler  took 
and,  carefully  depositing  it  by  the  side  of  the  images  of 
his  Catholic  Majesty,  made  a  sweeping  bow  to  the  whole 
family,  and  departed  as  he  had  approached.  He  was  soon 
seen  at  a  distance,  stealing  into  the  door  of  his  own  hum 
ble  dwelling. 

The  father  and  sisters  of  the  captain  were  too  much 
rejoiced  in  retaining  the  young  man  to  express,  or  even 
entertain,  the  apprehensions  his  situation  might  reason 
ably  excite;  but  on  retiring  to  their  evening  repast,  a 
cooler  reflection  induced  the  captain  to  think  of  changing 
his  mind.  Unwilling  to  trust  himself  out  of  the  protec 
tion  of  his  father's  domains,  the  young  man  dispatched 
Ceesar  to  desire  another  interview  with  Harvey.  The 
black  soon  returned  with  the  unwelcome  intelligence  that 
it  was  now  too  late.  Katy  had  told  him  that  Harvey 
must  be  miles  on  his  road  to  the  northward,  "having  left 
home  at  early  candle-light  with  his  pack."  Nothing 
now  remained  to  the  captain  but  patience,  until  the 
morning  should  afford  further  opportunity  of  deciding  on 
the  best  course  for  him  to  pursue. 

"This  Harvey  Birch,  with  his  knowing  looks  and  por- 


52  THE  SPY 

tentous  warnings,  gives  me  more  uneasiness  than  I  am 
willing  to  own,"  said  Captain  Wharton,  rousing  himself 
from  a  fit  of  musing  in  which  the  danger  of  his  situation 
made  no  small  part  of  his  meditations. 

"How  is  it  that  he  is  able  to  travel  to  and  fro  in  these 
difficult  times,  without  molestation?"  inquired  Miss 
Peyton. 

"Why  the  rebels  suffer  him  to  escape  so  easily,  is  more 
than  I  can  answer,"  returned  the  other;  "but  Sir  Henry 
would  not  permit  a  hair  of  his  head  to  be  injured." 

"Indeed!"  cried  Frances,  with  interest;  "is  he  then 
known  to  Sir  Henry  Clinton?" 

"At  least  he  ought  to  be." 

"Do  you  think,  my  son,"  asked  Mr.  Wharton,  "there 
is  no  danger  of  his  betraying  you?" 

"Why — no;  I  reflected  on  that  before  I  trusted  myself 
to  his  power,"  said  the  captain,  thoughtfully;  "he  seems 
to  be  faithful  in  matters  of  business.  The  danger  to 
himself,  should  he  return  to  the  city,  would  prevent  such 
an  act  of  villainy." 

"I  think,"  said  Frances,  adopting  the  manner  of  her 
brother,  "Harvey  Birch  is  not  without  good  feelings;  at 
least,  he  has  the  appearance  of  them  at  times." 

"Oh!"  cried  his  sister,  exulting,  "he  has  loyalty,  and 
that  with  me  is  a  cardinal  virtue." 

"I  am  afraid,"  said  her  brother,  laughing,  "love  of 
money  is  a  stronger  passion  than  love  of  his  king." 

"Then,"  said  the  father,  "you  cannot  be  safe  while  in 
his  power — for  no  love  will  withstand  the  temptations  of 
money,  when  offered  to  avarice." 

"Surely,  sir,"  cried  the  youth,  recovering  his  gayety, 
"there  must  be  one  love  that  can  resist  anything — is 
there  not,  Fanny?" 

"Here  is  your  candle;  you  keep  your  father  up  beyond 
his  usual  hour. ' ' 


CHAPTER  V 

"Through  Solway  sands,  through  Taross  moss, 
Blindfold,  he  knew  the  paths  to  cross: 
By  wily  turns,  by  desperate  bounds. 
Had  baffled  Percy's  best  blood-hounds. 
In  Eske,  or  Liddel,  fords  were  none. 
But  he  would  ride  them,  one  by  one; 
Alike  to  him  was  time  or  tide, 
December's  snow  or  July's  pride; 
Alike  to  him  was  tide  or  time, 
Moonless  midnight  or  matin  prime." 

—WALTER  SCOTT. 

ALL  the  members  of  the  Wharton  family  laid  their 
heads  on  their  pillows  that  nigh*-  with  a  foreboding  of 
some  interruption  to  their  ordinary  quiet.  Uneasiness 
kept  the  sisters  from  enjoying  their  usual  repose  and 
they  rose  from  their  beds,  on  the  following  morning,  un- 
refreshed,  and  almost  without  having  closed  their  eyes. 

On  taking  an  eager  and  hasty  survey  of  the  valley  from 
the  windows  of  their  room,  nothing,  however,  but  its 
usual  serenity  was  to  be  seen.  It  was  glittering  with 
the  opening  brilliancy  of  one  of  those  lovely,  mild  days, 
which  occur  about  the  time  of  the  falling  of  the  leaf;  and 
which,  by  their  frequency,  class  the  American  autumn 
with  the  most  delightful  seasons  of  other  countries.  We 
have  no  spring;  vegetation  seems  to  leap  into  existence, 
instead  of  creeping,  as  in  the  same  latitudes  of  the  Old 
World;  but  how  gracefully  it  retires!  September,  Octo 
ber,  even  November  and  December,  compose  the  season 
for  enjoyment  in  the  open  air;  they  have  their  storms,  but 
they  are  distinct,  and  not  of  long  continuance,  leaving  a 
clear  atmosphere  and  a  cloudless  sky. 

As  nothing  could  be  seen  likely  to  interrupt  the  enjoy 
ments  and  harmony  of  such  a  day,  the  sisters  descem 
to   the   parlor,    with  a   returning    confidence   in 
brother's  security,  and  their  own  happiness. 

The  family  were  early  in  assembling  around  the  t 
fast  table;  and  Miss  Peyton,  with  a  little  of  that  minute 

53 


54  THE  SPY 

precision  which  creeps  into  the  habits  of  single  life,  had 
pleasantly  insisted  that  the  absence  of  her  nephew  should 
in  no  manner  interfere  with  the  regular  hours  she  had 
established;  consequently,  the  party  were  already  seated 
when  the  captain  made  his  appearance;  though  the 
untasted  coffee  sufficiently  proved  that  by  none  of  his 
relatives  was  his  absence  disregarded. 

"I  think  I  did  much  better,"  he  cried,  taking  a  chair 
between  his  sisters,  and  receiving  their  offered  salutes, 
"to  secure  a  good  bed  and  such  a  plentiful  breakfast,  in 
stead  of  trusting  to  the  hospitality  of  that  renowned 
corps,  the  Cow-Boys. " 

"If  you  could  sleep,"  said  Sarah,  "you  were  more  for 
tunate  than  Frances  and  myself;  every  murmur  of  the 
night  air  sounded  to  me  like  the  approach  of  the  rebel 
army." 

"Why,"  said  the  captain,  laughing,  "I  do  acknowledge 
a  little  inquietude  myself — but  how  was  it  with  you?" 
turning  to  his  younger  and  evidently  favorite  sister,  and 
tapping  her  cheek;  "did  you  see  banners  in  the  clouds, 
and  mistake  Miss  Peyton's  JEtoliau  harp  for  rebellious 
music?" 

"Nay,  Henry,"  rejoined  the  maid,  looking  at  him 
affectionately,  "much  as  I  love  my  own  country,  the 
approach  of  her  troops  just  now  would  give  me  great 
pain." 

The  brother  made  no  reply;  but  returning  the  fondness 
expressed  in  her  eye  by  a  look  of  fraternal  tenderness,  he 
gently  pressed  her  hand  in  silence;  when  Cassar,  who  had 
participated  largely  in  the  anxiety  of  the  family,  and 
who  had  risen  with  the  dawn,  and  kept  a  vigilant  watch 
on  the  surrounding  objects,  as  he  stood  gazing  from  one 
of  the  windows,  exclaimed  with  a  face  that  approached 
to  something  like  the  hues  of  a  white  man: 

"Run — Massa  Harry — run — if  he  love  old  Caesar,  run 
— here  come  a  rebel  horse. ' ' 

"Run!"  repeated  the  British  officer,  gathering  himself 
up  in  military  pride;  "no,  Mr.  Caesar,  running  is  not  my 
trade."  While  speaking,  he  walked  deliberately  to  the 
window,  where  the  family  were  already  collected  in  the 
greatest  consternation. 


THE  SPY  55 

At  the  distance  of  more  than  a  mile,  about  fifty  dra 
goons  were  to  be  seen,  winding  down  one  of  the  lateral 
entrances  of  the  valley.  In  advance,  with  an  officer  was 
a  man  attired  in  the  dress  of  a  countryman,  who  pointed 
in  the  direction  of  the  cottage.  A  small  party  now  left 
the  mam  body,  and  moved  rapidly  towards  the  object  of 
their  destination. 

On  reaching  the  road  which  led  through  the  bottom  of 
the  valley,  they  turned  their  horses'  heads  to  the  north. 

The  Whartons  continued  chained  in  breathless  silence 
to  the  spot,  watching  their  movements,  when  the  party, 
having  reached  the  dwelling  of  Birch,  made  a  rapid  circle 
around  his  grounds,  and  in  an  instant  his  house  was  sur 
rounded  by  a  dozen  sentinels. 

Two  or  three  of  the  dragoons  now  dismounted  and  dis 
appeared:  in  a  few  minutes,  however,  they  returned  to 
the  yard,  followed  by  Katy,  from  whose  violent  gesticu 
lations,  it  was  evident  that  matters  of  no  trifling  concern 
were  on  the  carpet.  A  short  communication  with  the 
loquacious  housekeeper  followed  the  arrival  of  the  main 
body  of  the  troop,  and  the  advanced  party  remounting, 
the  whole  moved  towards  the  Locusts  with  great  speed. 

As  yet  none  of  the  family  had  sufficient  presence  of 
mind  to  devise  any  means  of  security  for  Captain  Whar- 
ton;  but  the  danger  now  became  too  pressing  to  admit  of 
longer  delay,  and  various  means  of  secreting  him  were 
hastily  proposed;  but  they  were  all  haughtily  rejected  by 
the  young  man,  as  unworthy  of  his  character.  It  was 
too  late  to  retreat  to  the  woods  in  the  rear  of  the  cottage, 
for  he  would  unavoidably  be  seen,  and,  followed  by  a 
troop  of  horse,  as  inevitably  taken. 

At  length,  his  sisters,  with  trembling  hands,  replaced 
his  original  disguise,  the  instruments  of  which  had  been 
carefully  kept  at  hand  by  Caesar,  in  expectation  of  some 
sudden  emergency. 

This  arrangement  was  hastily  and  imperfectly  com 
pleted,  as  the  dragoons  entered  the  lawn  and  orchard  of 
the  Locusts,  riding  with  the  rapidity  of  the  wind;  and  in 
their  turn  the  Whartons  were  surrounded. 

Nothing  remained    now,  but  to  meet  the  impem 
examination   with  as  much   indifference  as  the  family 


56  THE   SPY 

could  assume.  The  leader  of  the  horse  dismounted,  and, 
followed  by  a  couple  of  his  men,  he  approached  the  outer 
door  of  the  building,  which  was  slowly  and  reluctantly 
opened  for  his  admission  by  Caesar.  The  heavy  tread  of 
the  trooper,  as  he  followed  the  black  to  the  door  of  the 
parlor,  rang  in  the  ears  of  the  females,  as  it  approached 
nearer  and  nearer,  and  drove  the  blood  from  their  faces 
to  their  hearts,  with  a  chill  that  nearly  annihilated 
feeling. 

A  man,  whose  colossal  stature  manifested  the  possession 
of  vast  strength,  entered  the  room,  and  removing  his  cap, 
he  saluted  the  family  with  a  mildness  his  appearance  did 
not  indicate  as  belonging  to  his  nature.  His  dark  hair 
hung  around  his  brow  in  profusion,  though  stained  with 
the  powder  which  was  worn  at  that  day,  and  his  face  was 
nearly  hid  in  the  whiskers  by  which  it  was  disfigured. 
Still,  the  expression  of  his  eye,  though  piercing,  was  not 
bad,  and  his  voice,  though  deep  and  powerful,  was  far 
from  unpleasant.  Frances  ventured  to  throw  a  timid 
glance  at  his  figure  as  he  entered,  and  saw  at  once  the  man 
from  whose  scrutiny  Harvey  Birch  had  warned  them  there 
was  so  much  to  be  apprehended. 

"You  have  no  cause  for  alarm,  ladies,"  said  the  officer, 
pausing  a  moment,  and  contemplating  the  pale  faces 
around  him;  "my  business  will  be  confined  to  a  few  ques 
tions,  which,  if  freely  answered,  will  instantly  remove  us 
from  your  dwelling." 

"And  what  may  they  be,  sir?"  stammered  Mr.  Whar- 
ton,  rising  from  his  chair,  and  waiting  anxiously  for  the 
reply. 

"Has  there  been  a  strange  gentleman  staying  with  you 
during  the  storm?"  continued  the  dragoon,  speaking 
with  interest,  and  in  some  degree  sharing  in  the  evident 
anxiety  of  the  father. 

"This  gentleman — here — favored  us  with  his  company 
during  the  rain,  and  has  not  yet  departed. ' ' 

"This  gentleman!"  repeated  the  other,  turning  to 
Captain  Wharton,  and  contemplating  his  figure  for  a 
moment  until  the  anxiety  of  his  countenance  gave  place 
to  a  lurking  smile.  He  approached  the  youth  with  an 
air  of  comic  gravity,  and  with  a  low  bow,  continued, 


THE  SPY  57 

"I  am  sorry  for  the  severe  cold  you  have  in  your  head 

sir." 

"I!"  exclaimed  the  captain,  in  surprise;  "I  have  no 
cold  in  my  head." 

I  fancied  it  then,  from  seeing  you  had  covered  such 
handsome  black  locks  with  that  ugly  old  wig;  it  was  my 
mistake;  you  will  please  to  pardon  it." 

Mr.  Wharton  groaned  aloud;  but  the  ladies,  ignorant 
of  the  extent  of  their  visitor's  knowledge,  remained  in 
trembling  yet  rigid  silence.  The  captain  himself  moved 
his  hand  involuntarily  to  his  head,  and  discovered  that 
the  trepidation  of  his  sisters  had  left  some  of  his  natural 
hair  exposed.  The  dragoon  watched  the  movement  with 
a  continued  smile,  when,  seeming  to  recollect  himself, 
turning  to  the  father,  he  proceeded: 

"Then,  sir,  I  am  to  understand  there  has  not  been  a 
Mr.  Harper  here,  within  the  week?" 

"Mr.  Harper,"  echoed  the  other,  feeling  a  load  re 
moved  from  his  heart,  "yes, — I  had  forgotten;  but  he  is 
gone;  and  if  there  be  anything  wrong  in  his  character, 
we  are  in  entire  ignorance  of  it;  to  me  he  was  a  total 
stranger. ' ' 

"You  have  but  little  to  apprehend  from  his  character," 
answered  the  dragoon,  dryly;  "but  he  is  gone — how— 
when — and  whither?" 

"He  departed  as  he  arrived,"  said  Mr.  Wharton,  gath 
ering  renewed  confidence  from  the  manner  of  the  trooper; 
"on  horseback,  last  evening,  and  he  took  the  northern 
road." 

The  officer  listened  to  him  with  intense  interest,  his 
countenance  gradually  lighting  into  a  smile  of  pleasure, 
and  the  instant  Mr.  Wharton  concluded  his  laconic  reply 
he  turned  on  his  heel  and  left  the  apartment.    The  Whar- 
tons,  judging  from  his  manner,  thought  he  was  about 
proceed   in  quest  of  the  object  of  his  inquiries, 
observed  the  dragoon,  on  gaining  the  lawn,  in  earn 
and  apparently  pleased  conversation  with  his  two  si 
terns.     In  a  few  moments  orders  were  given  to  some  c 
the  troop,  and  horsemen  left  the  valley,  at  full  speed,  b 
its  various  roads. 

The  suspense  of  the  party  within,  who  were  all  highly 


58  THE   SPY 

interested  witnesses  of  this  scene,  was  shortly  terminated; 
for  the  heavy  tread  of  the  dragoon  soon  announced  his 
second  approach.  He  bowed  again  politely  as  he  reen- 
tered  the  room,  and  walking  up  to  Captain  Wharton, 
said,  with  comic  gravity: 

"Now,  sir,  my  principal  business  being  done,  may  I 
beg  to  examine  the  quality  of  that  wig?" 

The  British  officer  imitated  the  manner  of  the  other, 
as  he  deliberately  uncovered  his  head,  and  handing  him 
the  wig,  observed,  "I  hope,  sir,  it  is  to  your  liking." 

"I  cannot,  without  violating  the  truth,  say  it  is," 
returned  the  dragoon;  "I  prefer  your  ebony  hair,  from 
which  you  seem  to  have  combed  the  powder  with  great 
industry.  But  that  must  have  been  a  sad  hurt  you  have 
received  under  this  enormous  black  patch." 

"You  appear  so  close  an  observer  of  things,  I  should 
like  your  opinion  of  it,  sir,"  said  Henry,  removing  the 
silk,  and  exhibiting  the  cheek  free  from  blemish. 

"Upon  my  word,  you  improve  most  rapidly  in  ex 
ternals,"  added  the  trooper,  preserving  his  muscles  in 
inflexible  gravity:  "if  I  could  but  persuade  you  to  ex 
change  this  old  surtout  for  that  handsome  blue  coat  by 
your  side,  I  think  I  never  could  witness  a  more  agreeable 
metamorphosis,  since  I  was  changed  myself  from  a 
lieutenant  to  a  captain." 

Young  Wharton  very  composedly  did  as  was  required 
and  stood  an  extremely  handsome,  well-dressed  young 
man.  The  dragoon  looked  at  him  for  a  minute  with  the 
drollery  that  characterized  his  manner,  and  then  con 
tinued: 

"This  is  a  newcomer  in  the  scene;  it  is  usual,  you 
know,  for  strangers  to  be  introduced ;  I  am  Captain  Law- 
ton,  of  the  Virginia  horse." 

"And  I,  sir,  am  Captain  Wharton,  of  his  Majesty's 
60th  regiment  of  foot, ' '  returned  Henry  bowing  stiffly, 
and  recovering  his  natural  manner. 

The  countenance  of  Lawton  changed  instantly,  and  his 
assumed  quaintness  vanished.  He  viewed  the  figure  of 
Captain  Wharton,  as  he  stood  proudly  swelling  with  a 
pride  that  disdained  further  concealment,  and  exclaimed, 
with  great  earnestness: 


THE  SPY  59 

"Captain  Wharton,  from  my  soul  I  pity  you!" 
"Oh!  then,"  cried  the  father  in  agony,  "if  you  pit- 
him,  dear  sir,  why  molest  him?  he  is  not  a  spy;  nothi.i 
but  a  desire  to  see  his  friends  prompted  him  to  venture 
so  far  from  the  regular  army  in  disguise.  Leave  him 
with  us;  there  is  no  reward,  no  sum,  which  I  will  not 
cheerfully  pay." 

"Sir,  your  anxiety  for  your  friend  excuses  your  lan 
guage,"  said  Lawton,  haughtily;  "but  you  forget  I  am  a 
Virginian,  and  a  gentleman."  Turning  to  the  young 
man,  he  continued,  "Were  you  ignorant,  Captain  Whar 
ton,  that  our  pickets  have  been  below  you  for  several 
days?" 

"I  did  not  know  it  until  I  reached  them,  and  it  was 
then  too  late  to  retreat,"  said  Wharton,  sullenly.  "I 
came  out,  as  my  father  has  mentioned,  to  see  my  friends, 
understanding  your  parties  to  be  at  Peekskill,  and  near 
the  Highlands,  or  surely  I  would  not  have  ventured." 

"All  this  may  be  very  true;  but  the  affair  of  Andre 
has  made  us  on  the  alert.  When  treason  reaches  the 
grade  of  general  officers,  Captain  Wharton,  it  behooves 
the  friends  of  liberty  to  be  vigilant." 

Henry  bowed  to  this  remark  in  distant  silence,  but 
Sarah  ventured  to  urge  something  in  behalf  of  her  brother. 
The  dragoon  heard  her  politely,  and  apparently  with  com 
miseration;  but  willing  to  avoid  useless  and  embarrassing 
petitions,  he  answered  mildly: 

"I  am  not  the  commander  of  the  party,  madam;  Major 
Dunwoodie  will  decide  what  must  be  done  with  your 
brother;  at  all  events  he  will  receive  nothing  but  kind  and 
gentle  treatment." 

"Dunwoodie!"  exclaimed  Frances,  with  a  face  in  which 
the  roses  contended  for  the  mastery  with  the  paleness  of 
apprehension;  "thank  God!  then  Henry  is  safe!" 

Lawton  regarded  her  with  a  mingled  expression  of  pity 
and  admiration;  then  shaking  his  head  doubtingly,  he 
continued : 

"I  hope  so;  and  with  your  permission,  we  will 
the  matter  for  his  decision." 

The  color  of  Frances  changed  from  the  paleness 
to  the  glow  of  hope.     Her  dread  on  behalf  of  her  brother 


60  THE  SPY 

was  certainly  greatly  diminished;  yet  her  form  shook, 
her  breathing  became  short  and  irregular,  and  her  whole 
frame  gave  tokens  of  extraordinary  agitation.  Her  eyes 
rose  from  the  floor  to  the  dragoon,  and  were  again  fixed 
immovably  on  the  carpet — she  evidently  wished  to  utter 
something,  but  was  unequal  to  the  effort.  Miss  Peyton 
was  a  close  observer  of  these  movements  of  her  niece,  and 
advancing  with  an  air  of  feminine  dignity,  inquired: 

"Then,  sir,  we  may  expect  the  pleasure  of  Major  Dun- 
woodie's  company  shortly?" 

"Immediately,  madam,"  answered  the  dragoon,  with 
drawing  his  admiring  gaze  from  the  person  of  Frances; 
"'expresses  are  already  on  the  road  to  announce  to  him 
our  situation,  and  the  intelligence  will  speedily  bring 
him  to  this  valley;  unless,  indeed,  some  private  reasons 
may  exist  to  make  a  visit  particularly  unpleasant." 

"We  shall  always  be  happy  to  see  Major  Dunwoodie." 

"Oh!  doubtless;  he  is  a  general  favorite.  May  I  pre 
sume  on  it  so  far  as  to  ask  leave  to  dismount  and  refresh 
my  men,  who  compose  a  part  of  his  squadron!" 

There  was  a  manner  about  the  trooper  that  would  have 
made  the  omission  of  such  a  request  easily  forgiven  by 
Mr.  Wharton,  but  he  was  fairly  entrapped  by  his  own 
eagerness  to  conciliate,  and  it  was  useless  to  withhold  a 
consent  which  he  thought  would  probably  be  extorted;  he 
therefore  made  the  most  of  necessity,  and  gave  such 
orders  as  would  facilitate  the  wishes  of  Captain  Lawton. 

The  officers  were  invited  to  take  their  morning's  repast 
at  the  family  breakfast-table,  and  having  made  their 
arrangements  without,  the  invitation  was  frankly  ac 
cepted.  None  of  the  watchfulness,  which  was  so  neces 
sary  to  their  situation,  was  neglected  by  the  wary  parti 
san.  Patrols  were  seen  on  the  distant  hills,  taking  their 
protecting  circuit  around  their  comrades,  who  were 
enjoying,  in  the  midst  of  danger,  a  security  that  can  only 
spring  from  the  watchfulness  of  discipline,  and  the  indif 
ference  of  habit. 

The  addition  to  the  party  at  Mr.  Wharton 's  table  was 
only  three,  and  they  were  all  of  them  men  who,  under 
the  rough  exterior  induced  by  actual  and  arduous  service, 
concealed  the  manners  of  gentlemen.  Consequently,  the 


THE  SPY  61 

interruption  to  the  domestic  privacy  of  the  family  was 
marked  by  the  observance  of  strict  decorum.  The  ladies 
left  the  table  to  their  guests,  who  proceeded  without 
much  superfluous  diffidence,  to  do  proper  honors  to  the 
hospitality  of  Mr.  Wharton. 

At  length  Captain  Lawton  suspended  for  a  moment  his 
violent  attacks  on  the  buckwheat  cakes,  to  inquire  of 
the  master  of  the  house  if  there  was  not  a  peddler  of  the 
name  of  Birch  who  lived  in  the  valley  at  times. 

"At  times  only,  I  believe,  sir,"  replied  Mr.  Wharton, 
cautiously;  "he  is  seldom  here;  I  may  say  I  never  see 
him." 

"That  is  strange,  too,"  said  the  trooper,  looking  at 
the  disconcerted  host  intently,  "considering  he  is  your 
next  neighbor;  he  must  be  quite  domestic,  sir;  and  to  the 
ladies  it  must  be  somewhat  inconvenient.  I  doubt  not 
that  that  muslin  in  the  window-seat  cost  twice  as  much 
as  he  would  have  asked  them  for  it." 

Mr.  Wharton  turned  in  consternation,  and  saw  some  of 
the  recent  purchases  scattered  about  the  room. 

The  two  subalterns  struggled  to  conceal  their  smiles; 
but  the  captain  resumed  his  breakfast  with  an  eagerness 
that  created  a  doubt  whether  he  ever  expected  to  enjoy 
another.  The  necessity  of  a  supply  from  the  dominion  of 
Dinah  soon,  however,  afforded  another  respite,  of  which 
Lawton  availed  himself. 

"I  had  a  wish  to  break  this  Mr.  Birch  of  his  unsocial 
habits,  and  gave  him  a  call  this  morning,"  he  said: 
"had  I  found  him  within,  I  should  have  placed  him  where 
he  would  enjoy  life  in  the  midst  of  society,  for  a  short 
time  at  least." 

"And  where  might  that  be,  sir?"  asked  Mr.  Wharton, 
conceiving  it  necessary  to  say  something. 

"The  guard-room,"  said  the  trooper,  dryly. 

"What  is  the  offence  of  poor  Birch?"  asked  Miss  Pey 
ton,  handing  the  dragoon  a  fourth  dish  of  coffee. 

"Poor!"  cried  the  captain;  "if  he  is  poor,  King  C 
is  a  bad  paymaster. "  ... 

"Yes,  indeed,"  said  one^of  the  subalterns, 
esty  owes  him  a  dukedom." 

"And  Congress  a  halter,"  continued   the  commi 


62  THE  SPY 

ing  officer,  commencing  anew  on  a  fresh  supply  of  the 
cakes. 

"I  am  sorry,"  said  Mr.  Wharton,  "that  any  neighbor 
of  mine  should  incur  the  displeasure  of  our  rulers." 

"If  I  catch  him,"  cried  the  dragoon,  while  buttering 
another  cake,  "he  will  dangle  from  the  limbs  of  one 
of  his  namesakes. ' ' 

"He  would  make  no  bad  ornament,  suspended  from 
one  of  those  locusts  before  his  own  door,"  added  the 
lieutenant. 

"Never  mind,"  continued  the  captain;  "I  will  have 
him  yet  before  I'm  a  major." 

As  the  language  of  the  officers  appeared  to  be  sincere, 
and  such  as  disappointed  men  in  their  rough  occupations 
are  but  too  apt  to  use,  the  Whartons  thought  it  prudent 
to  discontinue  the  subject.  It  was  no  new  intelligence  to 
any  of  the  family,  that  Harvey  Birch  was  distrusted  and 
greatly  harassed  by  the  American  army.  His  escapes 
from  their  hands,  no  less  than  his  imprisonments,  had 
been  the  conversation  of  the  country  in  too  many  in 
stances,  and  under  circumstances  of  too  great  mystery,  to 
be  easily  forgotten.  In  fact,  no  small  part  of  the  bitter 
ness  expressed  by  Captain  Lawton  against  the  peddler, 
arose  from  the  unaccountable  disappearance  of  the  latter, 
when  intrusted  to  the  custody  of  two  of  his  most  faithful 
dragoons. 

A  twelvemonth  had  not  yet  elapsed,  since  Birch  had 
been  seen  lingering  near  the  headquarters  of  the  com- 
mander-in-chief,  and  at  a  time  when  important  move 
ments  were  expected  hourly  to  occur.  So  soon  as  the 
information  of  this  fact  was  communicated  to  the  officer 
whose  duty  it  was  to  guard  the  avenues  of  the  American 
camp,  he  dispatched  Captain  Lawton  in  pursuit  of  the 
peddler. 

Acquainted  with  all  the  passes  of  the  hills,  and  inde 
fatigable  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty,  the  trooper  had, 
with  much  trouble  and  toil,  succeeded  in  effecting  his 
object.  The  party  had  halted  at  a  farm-house  for  the 
purposes  of  refreshment,  and  the  prisoner  was  placed  in  a 
room  by  himself,  but  under  the  keeping  of  the  two  men 
before  mentioned;  all  that  was  known  subsequently  is, 


THE  SPY  63 

that  a  woman  was  seen  busily  engaged  in  the  employ- 
ments  of  the  household  near  the  sentinels,  and  was  par 
ticularly  attentive  to  the  wants  of  the  captain,  until  he 
was  deeply  engaged  in  the  employments  of  the  supper- 
table. 

Afterwards,  neither  woman  nor  peddler  was  to  be 
found.  The  pack,  indeed,  was  discovered  open,  and 
nearly  empty,  and  a  small  door,  communicating  with  a 
room  adjoining  to  the  one  in  which  the  peddler  had  been 
secured,  was  ajar. 

Captain  Lawton  never  could  forgive  the  deception:  his 
antipathies  to  his  enemies  were  not  very  moderate,  but 
this  was  adding  an  insult  to  his  penetration  that  rankled 
deeply.  He  sat  in  portentous  silence,  brooding  over  the 
exploit  of  his  prisoner,  yet  mechanically  pursuing  the 
business  before  him,  until,  after  sufficient  time  had 
passed  to  make  a  very  comfortable  meal,  a  trumpet  sud 
denly  broke  on  the  ears  of  the  party,  sending  its  martial 
tones  up  the  valley,  in  startling  melody.  The  trooper  rose 
instantly  from  the  table,  exclaiming: 

"Quick,  gentlemen,  to  your  horses:  there  comes  Dun- 
woodie;"  and,  followed  by  his  officers,  he  precipitately 
left  the  room. 

With  the  exception  of  the  sentinels  left  to  guard  Cap 
tain  Wharton,  the  dragoons  mounted,  and  marched  out  to 
meet  their  comrades. 

None  of  the  watchfulness  necessary  in  a  war,  in  which 
similarity  of  language,  appearance,  and  customs,  ren 
dered  prudence  doubly  necessary,  was  omitted  by  the 
cautious  leader.  On  getting  sufficiently  near,  however, 
to  a  body  of  horse  of  more  than  double  his  own  number, 
to  distinguish  countenances,  Lawton  plunged  his  rowels 
into  his  charger,  and  in  a  moment  he  was  by  the  side  of 
his  commander. 

The  ground  in  front  of  the  cottages  was  again  occupied 
by  the  horse;  and  observing  the  same  precautions  as  be 
fore,  the  newly  arrived  troops  hastened  to  participate  in 
the  cheer  prepared  for  their  comrades. 


CHAPTER  VI 

"And  let  conquerors  boast 
Their  fields  of  fame— he  who  in  virtue  arms 
A  young  warm  spirit  against  beauty's  charms, 
Who  feels  her  brightness,  yet  defies  her  thrall, 
Is  the  best,  bravest  conqueror  of  them  all." 

— MOORE. 

THE  ladies  of  the  Wharton  family  had  collected  about 
a  window,  deeply  interested  in  the  scene  we  have  re 
lated. 

Sarah  viewed  the  approach  of  her  countrymen  with  a 
smile  of  contemptuous  indifference;  for  she  even  under 
valued  the  personal  appearance  of  men  whom  she  thought 
arrayed  in  the  unholy  cause  of  rebellion.  Miss  Peyton 
looked  on  the  gallant  show  with  an  exulting  pride, 
which  arose  in  the  reflection  that  the  warriors  before  her 
were  the  chosen  troops  of  her  native  colony;  while 
Frances  gazed  with  a  singleness  of  interest  that  absorbed 
all  other  considerations. 

The  two  parties  had  not  yet  joined,  before  her  quick 
eye  distinguished  one  horseman  in  particular  from  those 
around  him.  To  her  it  appeared  that  even  the  steed  of 
this  youthful  soldier  seemed  to  be  conscious  that  he  sus 
tained  the  weight  of  no  common  man:  his  hoofs  but 
lightly  touched  the  earth,  and  his  airy  tread  was  the 
curbed  motion  of  a  blooded  charger. 

The  dragoon  sat  in  the  saddle,  with  a  firmness  and  ease 
that  showed  him  master  of  himself  and  horse — his  figure 
uniting  the  just  proportions  of  strength  and  activity, 
being  tall,  round,  and  muscular.  To  this  officer  Lawton 
made  his  report,  and,  side  by  side,  they  rode  into  the 
field  opposite  to  the  cottage. 

The  heart  of  Frances  beat  with  a  pulsation  nearly 
stifling,  as  he  paused  for  a  moment,  and  took  a  survey  of 
the  building,  with  an  eye  whose  dark  and  sparkling  glance 
could  be  seen,  notwithstanding  the  distance.  Her  color 

64 


THE  SPY 


65 


changed,  and  for  an  instant,  as  she  saw  the  youth  throw 
himself  from  the  saddle,  she  was  compelled  to  seek  relief 
for  her  trembling  limbs  in  a  chair. 

The  officer  gave  a  few  hasty  orders  to  his  second  in 
command,  walked  rapidly  onto  the  lawn,  and  approached 
the  cottage.  Frances  rose  from  her  seat,  and  vanished 
from  the  apartment.  The  dragoon  ascended  the  steps  of 
the  piazza,  and  had  barely  time  to  touch  the  outer  door, 
when  it  opened  to  his  admission. 

The  youth  of  Frances,  when  she  left  the  city,  had 
prevented  her  sacrificing,  in  conformity  to  the  customs  of 
that  day,  all  her  native  beauties  on  the  altar  of  fashion. 
Her  hair,  which  was  of  a  golden  richness  of  color,  was 
left,  untortured,  to  fall  in  the  natural  ringlets  of  infancy, 
and  it  shaded  a  face  which  was  glowing  with  the  united 
charms  of  health,  youth,  and  artlessness;  her  eyes  spoke 
volumes,  but  her  tongue  was  silent;  her  hands  were  inter 
locked  before  her,  and,  aided  by  her  taper  form,  bending 
forward  in  an  attitude  of  expectation,  gave  a  loveliness 
and  an  interest  to  her  appearance,  that  for  a  moment 
chained  her  lover  in  silence  to  the  spot. 

Frances  silently  led  the  way  into  a  vacant  parlor,  oppo 
site  to  the  one  in  which  the  family  were  assembled,  and 
turning  to  the  soldier  frankly,  placing  both  her  hands  in 
his  own,  exclaimed: 

"Ah,  Dunwoodie!  how  happy,  on  many  accounts,  I  am 
to  see  you!  I  have  brought  you  in  here,  to  prepare  you 
to  meet  an  unexpected  friend  in  the  opposite  room." 

"To  whatever  cause  it  may  be  owing,"  cried  the  youth, 
pressing  her  hands  to  his  lips,  "I,  too,  am  happy  in  being 
able  to  see  you  alone.  Frances,  the  probation  you  have 
decreed  is  cruel ;  war  and  distance  may  shortly  separate 
us  forever. ' ' 

"We  must  submit  to  the  necessity  which  governs  us. 
But  it  is  not  love  speeches  I  would  hear  now: 
and  more  important  matter  for  your  attention." 

"What  can  be  of  more  importance  than  to  make  yoi 
mine  by  a  tie  that  will  be  indissoluble!     Frances,  j 
are  cold  to  me— me-from  whose  mind   days  of 
and  nights  of  alarm  have  never  been  able  to  bamsl 
image  for  a  single  moment. 


66  THE   SPY 

"Dear  Dunwoodie,"  said  Frances,  softening1  nearly  to 
tears,  and  again  extending  her  hand  to  him,  as  the  rich 
ness  of  her  color  gradually  returned,  "you  know  my  sen 
timents — this  war  once  ended,  and  you  may  take  that 
hand  forever — but  I  can  never  consent  to  tie  myself  to 
you  by  any  closer  union  than  already  exists,  so  long  as 
you  are  arrayed  in  arms  against  my  only  brother.  Even 
now  that  brother  is  awaiting  your  decision  to  restore 
him  to  liberty,  or  to  conduct  him  to  a  probable  death." 

"Your  brother!"  cried  Dunwoodie,  starting  and  turn 
ing  pale;  "your  brother!  explain  yourself — what  dreadful 
meaning  is  concealed  in  your  words?" 

"Has  not  Captain  Lawton  told  you  of  the  arrest  of 
Henry  by  himself  this  very  morning?"  continued  Frances, 
in  a  voice  barely  audible,  and  fixing  on  her  lover  a  look 
of  the  deepest  concern. 

"He  told  me  of  arresting  a  captain  of  the  60th  in  dis 
guise,  but  without  mentioning  where  or  whom,"  replied 
the  major  in  a  similar  tone;  and  dropping  his  head 
between  his  hands,  he  endeavored  to  conceal  his  feelings 
from  his  companion. 

"Dunwoodie!  Dunwoodie!"  exclaimed  Frances,  losing 
all  her  former  confidence  in  the  most  fearful  apprehen 
sions,  "what  means  this  agitation?"  As  the  major 
slowly  raised  his  face,  in  which  was  pictured  the  most 
expressive  concern,  she  continued,  "Surely,  surely,  you 
will  not  betray  your  friend — my  brother — your  brother — 
to  an  ignominious  death." 

"Frances!"  exclaimed  the  young  man  in  agony,  "what 
can  I  do?" 

"Do!"  she  repeated,  gazing  at  him  wildly;  "would 
Major  Dunwoodie  yield  his  friend  to  his  enemies — the 
brother  of  his  betrothed  wife?" 

"Oh,  speak  not  so  unkindly  to  me,  dearest  Miss  Whar- 
ton — my  own  Frances.  I  would  this  moment  die  for  you 
— for  Henry — but  I  cannot  forget  my  duty — cannot  for 
feit  my  honor;  you  yourself  would  be  the  first  to  despise 
me  if  I  did." 

"Peyton  Dunwoodie!"  said  Frances,  solemnly,  and 
with  a  face  of  ashy  paleness,  "you  have  told  me — you 
have  sworn — that  you  love  me " 


THE  SPY  ,,: 

"I  do,"  interrupted  the  soldier,  with  fervor;  but  mo 
tioning  for  silence  she  continued,  in  a  voice  that  trem 
bled  with  her  fears: 

"Do  you  think  I  can  throw  myself  into  the  arms  of  a 
man  whose  hands  are  stained  with  the  blood  of  my  only 
brother!" 

"Frances,  you  wring  my  very  heart;"  then,  pausing, 
to  struggle  with  his  feelings,  he  endeavored  to  force  a 
smile,  as  he  added,  "but,  after  all,  we  may  be  torturing 
ourselves  with  unnecessary  fears,  and  Henry,  when  I 
know  the  circumstances,  may  be  nothing  more  than  a 
prisoner  of  war;  in  which  case,  I  can  .liberate  him  on 
parole. ' ' 

There  is  no  more  delusive  passion  than  hope;  and  it 
seems  to  be  the  happy  privilege  of  youth  to  cull  all  the 
pleasures  that  can  be  gathered  from  its  indulgence.  It  is 
when  we  are  most  worthy  of  confidence  ourselves,  that 
we  are  least  apt  to  distrust  others;  and  what  we  think 
ought  to  be,  we  are  prone  to  think  will  be. 

The  half-formed  expectations  of  the  young  soldier  were 
communicated  to  the  desponding  sister,  more  by  the  eye 
than  the  voice,  and  the  blood  rushed  again  to  her  cheek, 
as  she  cried: 

"Oh,  there  can  be  no  just  grounds  to  doubt  it:  I  kn<>\v 
— I  knew— Dunwoodie,  you  would  never  desert  us  in  our 
greatest  need!"  The  violence  of  her  feelings  prevailed, 
and  the  agitated  girl  found  relief  in  a  flood  of  tears. 

The  office  of  consoling  those  we  love  is  one  of  the  dear 
est    prerogatives   of   affection;    and    Major   Dunwu< 
although  but  little  encouraged  by  his  own  momentary 
suggestion  of  relief,  could  not  undeceive  the  lovely  gn 
who  leaned  on  his  shoulder,  as  he  wiped  the  traces  of  1 
feeling  from  her  face,  with  a  trembling,  but  reviv 
confidence  in  the  safety  of  her  brother,  and  the  prc 
tion  of  her  lover. 

Frances,  having  sufficiently  recovered  her  recollect 
to  command  herself,  now   eagerly  led  the  way  • 
opposite  room,  to  communicate  to  her  family  the  pie 
intelligence  which  she  already  conceived  so  certain 

Dunwoodie  followed  her  reluctantly,  and  with  forelx 
ings  of  the  result;  but  a  few  moments  brough 


68  THE   SPY 

the  presence  of  his  relatives,  and  he  summoned  all  his 
resolution  to  meet  the  trial  with  firmness. 

The  salutations  of  the  young  men  were  cordial  and 
frank,  and,  on  the  part  of  Henry  Wharton,  as  collected 
as  if  nothing  had  occurred  to  disturb  his  self-possession. 

The  abhorrence  of  being,  in  any  manner,  auxiliary  to 
the  arrest  of  his  friend;  the  danger  to  the  life  of  Captain 
Wharton;  and  the  heart-breaking  declarations  of  Frances, 
had,  however,  created  an  uneasiness  in  the  bosom  of 
Major  Dunwoodie,  which  all  his  efforts  could  not  conceal. 
His  reception  by  the  rest  of  the  family  was  kind  and 
sincere,  both  from  old  regard,  and  a  remembrance  of 
former  obligations,  heightened  by  the  anticipations  they 
could  not  fail  to  read  in  the  expressive  eyes  of  the  blush 
ing  girl  by  his  side.  After  exchanging  greetings  with 
every  member  of  the  family,  Major  Dunwoodie  beckoned 
to  the  sentinel,  whom  the  wary  prudence  of  Captain  Law- 
ton  had  left  in  charge  of  the  prisoner,  to  leave  the  room. 
Turning  to  Captain  Wharton,  he  inquired  mildly: 

"Tell  me,  Henry,  the  circumstances  of  this  disguise, 
in  which  Captain  Lawton  reports  you  to  have  been  found, 
and  remember— remember — Captain  Wharton — your  an 
swers  are  entirely  voluntary." 

"The  disguise  was  used  by  me,  Major  Dunwoodie," 
replied  the  English  officer,  gravely,  "to  enable  me  to 
visit  my  friends,  without  incurring  the  danger  of  becom 
ing  a  prisoner  of  war." 

"But  you  did  not  wear  it,  until  you  saw  the  troop  of 
Lawton  approaching?" 

"Oh!  no,"  interrupted  Frances,  eagerly,  forgetting  all 
the  circumstances,  in  her  anxiety  for  her  brother;  "Sarah 
and  myself  placed  them  on  him  when  the  dragoons  ap 
peared;  it  was  our  awkwardness  that  led  to  the  dis 
covery.  ' ' 

The  countenance  of  Dunwoodie  brightened,  as  turn 
ing  his  eyes  in  fondness  on  the  speaker,  he  listened  to  her 
explanation. 

"Probably  some  articles  of  your  own,"  he  continued, 
"which  were  at  hand,  and  were  used  on  the  spur  of  the 
moment. ' ' 

"No,"  said  Wharton,  with  dignity;  "the  clothes  were 


THE  SPY 


69 


worn  by  me  from  the  city;  they  were  procured  for  the 
purpose  to  which  they  were  applied,  and  I  intended  to 
use  them  in  my  return  this  very  day. ' ' 

The  appalled  Frances  shrank  back  from  between  her 
brother  and  lover,  where  her  ardent  feelings  had  carried 
her,  as  the  whole  truth  glanced  over  her  mind,  and  she 
sank  into  a  seat,  gazing  wildly  on  the  young  men. 

"But  the  pickets— the  party  at  the  Plains?"  added 
Dunwoodie,  turning  pale. 

"I  passed  them,  too,  in  disguise.  I  made  use  of  this 
pass,  for  which  I  paid;  and,  as  it  bears  the  name  of 
Washington,  I  presume  it  is  forged." 

Dunwoodie  caught  the  paper  from  his  hand,  eagerly, 
and  stood  gazing  on  the  signature  for  some  time  in  silence, 
during  which  the  soldier  gradually  prevailed  over  the 
man;  then  he  turned  to  the  prisoner,  with  a  searching 
look,  as  he  asked: 

"Captain  Wharton,  whence  did  you  procure  this  pa 
per?" 

"This  is  a  question,  I  conceive,  Major  Dunwoodie  has 
no  right  to  ask." 

"Your  pardon,  sir;  my  feelings  may  have  led  me  into 
an  impropriety." 

Mr.  Wharton,  who  had  been  a  deeply  interested  audi 
tor,  now  so  far  conquered  his  feelings  as  to  say,  "Surely, 
Major  Dunwoodie,  the  paper  cannot  be  material;  such 
artifices  are  used  daily  in  war." 

"This   name    is   no   counterfeit,"  said   the  dragoon, 
studying  the  characters,  and  speaking  in  a  low  voice:  "is 
treason  yet  among  us  undiscovered?     The  confidence  < 
Washington  has  been  abused,  for  the  fictitious  name  is  i 
a  different  hand  from  the  pass.     Captain  Wharton,  n 
duty  will  net  suffer  me  to  grant  you  a  parole:  you  mus 
accompany  me  to  the  Highlands. 

"I  did  not  expect  otherwise,  Major  Dunwood: 

Dunwoodie  turned  slowly  towards  the  siste 
figure  of  Frances  once  more  arrested  his  gaze, 
risen    from    her   seat,  and   stood   again  with  her  h* 
clasped   before   him  in  an  attitude  of  petition: 
himself  unable  to  contend  longer  with  his  feeh 
made  a  hurried  excuse  for  a  temporary  absence,  and 


70  THE   SPY 

the  room.  Frances  followed  him,  and,  obedient  to  the 
direction  of  her  eye,  the  soldier  re-entered  the  apartment 
in  which  had  been  their  first  interview. 

"Major  Dunwoodie, "  said  Frances,  in  a  voice  barely 
audible,  as  she  beckoned  to  him  to  be  seated;  her  cheek, 
which  had  been  of  a  chilling  whiteness,  was  flushed  with 
a  suffusion  that  crimsoned  her  whole  countenance;  she 
struggled  with  herself  for  a  moment,  and  continued,  "I 
have  already  acknowledged  to  you  my  esteem;  even  now, 
when  you  most  painfully  distress  me,  I  wish  not  to  con 
ceal  it.  Believe  me,  Henry  is  innocent  of  everything 
but  imprudence.  Our  country  can  sustain  no  wrong." 
Again  she  paused,  and  almost  gasped  for  breath;  her 
color  changed  rapidly  from  red  to  white,  until  the  blood 
rushed  into  her  face,  covering  her  features  with  the 
brightest  vermilion;  and  she  added  hastily,  in  an  under 
tone,  "I  have  promised,  Dunwoodie,  when  peace  shall  be 
restored  to  our  country,  to  become  your  wife;  give  to  my 
brother  his  liberty  on  parole,  and  I  will  this  day  go  with 
you  to  the  altar,  follow  you  to  the  camp,  and,  in  becom 
ing  a  soldier's  bride,  learn  to  endure  a  soldier's  priva 
tions." 

Dunwoodie  seized  the  hand  which  the  blushing  girl,  in 
her  ardor,  had  extended  towards  him,  and  pressed  it  for 
a  moment  to  his  bosom;  then  rising  from  his  seat,  he 
paced  the  room  in  excessive  agitation. 

"Frances,  say  no  more,  I  conjure  you,  unless  you  wish 
to  break  my  heart." 

"You  then  reject  my  offered  hand?"  she  said,  rising 
with  dignity,  though  her  pale  cheek  and  quivering  lip 
plainly  showed  the  conflicting  passions  within. 

"Reject  it!  Have  I  not  sought  it  with  entreaties — 
with  tears?  Has  it  not  been  the  goal  of  all  my  earthly 
wishes?  But  to  take  it  under  such  conditions  would  be 
to  dishonor  both.  We  will  hope  for  better  things. 
Henry  must  be  acquitted;  perhaps  not  tried.  No  inter 
cession  of  mine  shall  be  wanting,  you  must  well  know; 
and  believe  me,  Frances,  I  am  not  without  favor  with 
Washington." 

"That  very  paper,  that  abuse  of  his  confidence,  to 
which  you  alluded,  will  steel  him  to  my  brother's  case. 


THE  SPY  71 

If  threats  or  entreaties  could  move  his  stern  sense  of 
tice,  would  Andre  have  suffered?"     As 


s  ta 

these  words  she  fled  from  the  room  in  despair 

Dunwoodie  remained  for  a  minute  nearly  stupefied- 
and  then  he  followed  with  a  view  to  vindicate  ' 


th  t  H°  Tu  aPPrehen^ons.  On  entering 
that  divided  the  two  parlors,  he  was  met  by  a  sma 
ragged  boy,  who  looked  one  moment  at  his  dress  and 
placing  a  piece  of  paper  in  his  hands,  immediately  van- 
ished  through  the  outer  door  of  the  building.  The  bewil 
dered  state  of  his  mind,  and  the  suddenness  of  the  oc 
currence,  gave  the  major  barely  time  to  observe  the 
messenger  to  be  a  country  lad,  meanly  attired,  and  that 
he  held  m  his  hand  one  of  those  toys  which  are  to  be 
bought  in^  cities,  and  which  he  now  apparently  contem 
plated  with  the  conscious  pleasure  of  having  fairly  pur 
chased,  by  the  performance  of  the  service  required.  The 
soldier  turned  his  eyes  to  the  subject  of  the  note.  It  was 
written  on  a  piece  of  torn  and  soiled  paper,  and  in  a  hand 
barely  legible;  but,  after  some  little  labor,  he  was  able 
to  make  out  as  follows: 

"The  rig'lars  are  at  hand,  horse  and  foot."  l 

JThere  died  a  few  years  since,  in  Bedford,  West-Chester,  a  yeoman  named 
Elisha  H—  —  .  This  person  was  employed  by  Washington  as  one  of  his  most 
confidential  spies.  By  the  conditions  of  their  bargain,  H  -  was  never  to  be 
required  to  deal  with  third  parties,  since  his  risks  were  too  imminent.  He  was 
allowed  to  enter  also  into  the  service  of  Sir  Henry  Clinton;  and  so  much  con 
fidence  had  Washington  in  his  love  of  country  and  discretion,  that  he  was 
often  intrusted  wkh  the  minor  military  movements,  in  orxjer  that  he  might 
enhance  his  value  with  the  English  general,  by  communicating  them.  In  this 
manner,  H  --  had  continued  to  serve  for  a  long:  period,  when  chance  brought 
him  into  the  city  (then  held  by  the  British)  at  a  moment  when  an  expt- 
•was  about  to  quit  it,  to  g-o  against  a  small  post  established  at  Bedford,  his  native 
villag-e,  where  the  Americans  had  a  depot  of  provisions.  H  -  easily  ascer 
tained  the  force  and  destination  of  the  detachment  ordered  on  this  service,  but 
he  was  at  a  loss  in  what  manner  to  communicate  his  information  to  the  officer 
in  command  at  Bedford,  without  betraying  his  own  true  character  to  a  third 
person.  There  was  not  time  to  reach  Washing-ton,  and  under  the  circumstances, 
he  finally  resolved  to  hazard  a  short  note  to  the  American  commandant,  stat 
ing1  the  danger,  and  naming-  the  time  when  the  attack  might  be  expected.  To 
this  note  he  even  ventured  to  affix  his  own  initials,  E.  H.,  though  he  had  dis- 
gpised  the  hand,  under  a  belief  that,  as  he  knew  himself  to  be  suspected  by 
his  countrymen,  it  might  serve  to  give  more  weight  to  his  warning-.  His  family 
being  at  Bedford,  the  note  was  transmitted  with  facility,  and  arrived  in  good 
season,  H  -  himself  remaining  in  New  York. 

The  American  commandant  did  what  every  sensible  officer,  in  a  similar  case, 
would  have  done.  He  sent  a  courier  with  the  note  to  Washingrton,  demanding 
orders,  while  he  prepared  his  little  party  to  make  the  best  defence  in  his  power. 

The   headquarters  of  the   American  army  were,  at  that  time,  in  the  High 
lands.    Fortunately,  the  express  met  Washingrton,  on  a  tour  of  observal 
their  entrance.    The  note  was  given  to  him,  and  he  read  it  in  the  saddle;  ado- 


72  THE   SPY 

Dunwoodie  started;  and  forgetting  everything  but  the 
duties  of  a  soldier,  he  precipitately  left  the  house. 
While  walking  rapidly  towards  the  troops,  he  noticed  on 
a  distant  hill  a  vidette  riding  with  speed:  several  pistols 
were  fired  in  quick  succession;  and  the  next  instant  the 
trumpets  of  the  corps  rang  in  his  ear  with  the  enlivening 
strain  of  "To  arms!"  By  the  time  he  had  reached  the 
ground  occupied  by  his  squadron,  the  major  saw  that 
every  man  was  in  active  motion.  Lawton  was  already  in 
the  saddle,  eying  the  opposite  extremity  of  the  valley 
with  the  eagerness  of  expectation,  and  crying  to  the 
musicians,  in  tones  but  little  lower  than  their  own: 

"Sound  away,  my  lads,  and  let  these  Englishmen  know 
that  the  Virginia  horse  are  between  them  and  the  end  of 
their  journey." 

The  videttes  and  patrols  now  came  pouring  in,  each 
making  in  succession  his  hasty  report  to  the  command 
ing  officer,  who  gave  his  orders  coolly,  and  with  a  prompt 
itude  that  made  obedience  certain.  Once  only,  as  he 
wheeled  his  horse  to  ride  over  the  ground  in  front,  did 
Dunwoodie  trust  himself  with  a  look  at  the  cottage,  and  his 
heart  beat  with  unusual  rapidity  as  he  saw  a  female  fig 
ure  standing,  with  clasped  hands,  at  the  window  of  the 
room  in  which  he  had  met  Frances.  The  distance  was 
too  great  to  distinguish  her  features,  but  the  soldier 
could  not  doubt  that  it  was  his  mistress.  The  paleness  of 
his  cheek  and  the  languor  of  his  eye  endured  but  for  a 
moment  longer.  As  he  rode  towards  the  intended  battle 
ground,  a  flush  of  ardor  began  to  show  itself  on  his  sun 
burnt  features ;  and  his  dragoons  who  studied  the  face  of 
their  leader  as  the  best  index  to  their  own  fate  saw  again 


innr,  in  pencil,  "Believe  all  that  E.  H.  tells  you.  George  Washington."  He  re 
turned  it  to  the  courier,  with  an  injunction  to  ride  for  life  or  death. 

The  courier  reached  Bedford  after  the  British  had  made  their  attack.  The 
commandant  read  the  reply,  and  put  it  in  his  pocket.  The  Americans  were 

defeated,  and  their  leader  killed.  The  note  of  H ,  with  the  line  written  on 

it  by  Washington,  was  found  on  his  person. 

The  following  day  H was  summoned  to  the  presence  of  Sir  Henry  Clin 
ton.  After  the  latter  had  put  several  general  questions,  he  suddenly  pave  the 
noce  to  the  spy,  and  asked  if  he  knew  the  handwriting,  and  demanded  who 
the  E.  H.  was.  "  It  is  Elijah  Hadden,  the  spy  you  hanged  yesterday  at  Powles 
Hook."  The  readiness  of  this  answer,  connected  with  the  fact  that  a  spy  hav 
ing  the  same  initials  had  been  executed  the  day  before,  and  the  coolness  of 
H — — ,  saved  him.  Sir  Henry  Clinton  allowed  him  to  quit  his  presence,  and  he 
never  saw  him  afterwards. 


THE  SPY  73 

the  wonted  flashing  of  the  eyes  and  the  cheerful  anima- 
tion  wmch  they  had  so  often  witnessed  on  the  eve  of  bat 
tle.  By  the  additions  of  the  videttes  and  parties  that  had 
been  out,  and  which  now  had  all  joined,  the  whole  number 
oi  the  horse  was  increased  to  nearly  two  hundred.  There 
was  also  a  small  body  of  men,  whose  ordinary  duties  were 
those  of  guides,  but  who,  in  cases  of  emergency  were 
embodied  and  did  duty  as  foot-soldiers;  these  were  dis 
mounted,  and  proceeded,  by  the  order  of  Dunwoodie,  to 
level  the  few  fences  which  might  interfere  with  the 
intended  movements  of  the  cavalry.  The  neglect  of  hus 
bandry,  which  had  been  occasioned  by  the  war,  left  this 
task  comparatively  easy.  Those  long  lines  of  heavy  and 
durable  walls,  which  now  sweep  through  every  part  of 
the  country,  forty  years  ago  were  unknown.  The  slight 
and  tottering  fences  of  stone  were  then  used  more  to 
clear  the  land  for  the  purposes  of  cultivation  than  as 
permanent  barriers,  and  required  the  constant  attention 
of  the  husbandman,  to  preserve  them  against  the  fury  of 
the  tempests  and  the  frosts  of  winter.  Some  few  of  them 
had  been  built  with  more  care  immediately  around  the 
dwelling  of  Mr.  Wharton;  but  those  which  had  inter 
sected  the  vale  below  were  now  generally  a  pile  of  ruins, 
over  which  the  horses  of  the  Virginians  would  bound 
with  the  fleetness  of  the  wind.  Occasionally  a  short  line 
yet  preserved  its  erect  appearance;  but  as  none  of  those 
crossed  the  ground  on  which  Dunwoodie  intended  to  act, 
there  remained  only  the  slighter  fences  of  rails  to  be 
thrown  down.  Their  duty  was  hastily  but  effectually 
performed;  and  the  guides  withdrew  to  the  post  assigned 
to  them  for  the  approaching  fight. 

Major  Dunwoodie  had  received  from  his  scouts  all  the 
intelligence  concerning  his  foe,  which  was  necessary  t<> 
enable  him  to  make  his  arrangements.     The  bottom  of 
the   valley   was  an  even  plain,  that  fell  with  a  slight 
inclination  from  the  foot  of  the  hills  on  either  side,  to 
the  level  of  a  natural  meadow  that  wound  through  the 
country  on  the  banks  of  a  small  stream,  by  whose  waters 
it  was  often  inundated  and  fertilized.     This  brook 
easily  forded  in  any  part  of  its  course;  and  the  only  n 
pediment  it  offered  to  the  movements  of  the  horse,  was 


74  THE  SPY 

in  a  place  where  it  changed  its  bed  from  the  western  to 
the  eastern  side  of  the  valley,  and  where  its  banks  were 
more  steep  and  difficult  of  access  than  common.  Here 
the  highway  crossed  it  by  a  rough  wooden  bridge,  as  it 
did  again  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile  above  the  Lo 
custs. 

The  hills  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley  were  abrupt, 
and  frequently  obtruded  themselves  in  rocky  prominences 
into  its  bosom,  lessening  the  width  to  half  the  usual 
dimensions.  One  of  these  projections  was  but  a  short 
distance  in  the  rear  of  the  squadron  of  dragoons,  and 
Dunwoodie  directed  Captain  Lawton  to  withdraw,  with 
two  troops,  behind  its  cover.  The  officer  obeyed  with  a 
kind  of  surly  reluctance,  that  was,  however,  somewhat 
lessened  by  the  anticipations  of  the  effect  his  sudden 
appearance  would  make  on  the  enemy.  Dunwoodie  knew 
his  man,  and  had  selected  the  captain  for  this  service, 
both  because  he  feared  his  precipitation  in  the  field,  and 
knew,  when  needed,  his  support  would  never  fail  to  ap 
pear.  It  was  only  in  front  of  the  enemy  that  Captain 
Lawton  was  hasty;  at  all  other  times  his  discernment  and 
self-possession  were  consummately  preserved;  but  he 
sometimes  forgot  them  in  his  eagerness  to  engage.  On 
the  left  of  the  ground  on  which  Dunwoodie  intended  to 
meet  his  foe,  was  a  close  wood,  which  skirted  that  side 
of  the  valley  for  the  distance  of  a  mile.  Into  this,  then, 
the  guides  retired,  and  took  their  station  near  its  edge, 
in  such  a  manner  as  would  enable  them  to  maintain  a 
scattering,  but  effectual  fire,  on  the  advancing  column  of 
the  enemy. 

It  cannot  be  supposed  that  all  these  preparations  were 
made  unheeded  by  the  inmates  of  the  cottage;  on  the  con 
trary,  every  feeling  which  can  agitate  the  human  breast, 
in  witnessing  such  a  scene,  was  actively  alive.  Mr. 
Wharton  alone  saw  no  hopes  to  himself  in  the  termina 
tion  of  the  conflict.  If  the  British  should  prevail,  his 
son  would  be  liberated;  but  what  would  then  be  his  own 
fate!  He  had  hitherto  preserved  his  neutral  character  in 
the  midst  of  trying  circumstances.  The  fact  of  his  hav 
ing  a  son  in  the  royal,  or,  as  it  was  called,  the  regular 
army,  had  very  nearly  brought  his  estates  to  the  hammer. 


THE  SPY  75 

Nothing  had  obviated  this  result,  but  the  powerful  inter 
est  of  the  relation  who  held  a  high  political  rank  in  the 
State,  and  his  own  vigilant  prudence.  In  his  heart  he 
was  a  devoted  loyalist;  and  when  the  blushing  Frances 
had  communicated  to  him  the  wishes  of  her  lover  on 
their  return  from  the  American  camp  the  preceding 
spring,  the  consent  he  had  given  to  her  future  union  with 
a  rebel,  was  as  much  extracted  by  the  increasing  neces 
sity  which  existed  for  his  obtaining  republican  support, 
as  by  any  considerations  for  the  happiness  of  his  child. 
Should  his  son  now  be  rescued,  he  would,  in  the  public 
mind,  be  united  with  him  as  a  plotter  against  the  free 
dom  of  the  States;  and  should  he  remain  a  captive,  and 
undergo  the  impending  trial,  the  consequences  might  be 
still  more  dreadful.  Much  as  he  loved  his  wealth,  Mr. 
Wharton  loved  his  children  better;  and  he  sat  gazing  on 
the  movements  without,  with  a  listless  vacancy  in  his 
countenance,  that  fully  denoted  his  imbecility  of  char 
acter. 

Far  different  were  the  feelings  of  the  son.  Captain 
Wharton  had  been  left  in  the  keeping  of  two  dragoons, 
one  of  whom  marched  to  and  fro  on  the  piazza  with  a 
measured  tread,  and  the  other  had  been  directed  to  con 
tinue  in  the  same  apartment  with  his  prisoner.  The 
young  man  had  witnessed  all  the  movements  of  Dun- 
woodie  with  admiration  mingled  with  fearful  anticipa 
tions  of  the  consequences  to  friends.  He  particularly 
disliked  the  ambush  of  the  detachment  under  Lawton, 
who  could  be  distinctly  seen  from  the  windows  of  the 
cottage,  cooling  his  impatience  by  pacing  on  foot  the 
ground  in  front  of  his  men.  Henry  Wharton  threw 
several  hasty  and  inquiring  glances  around,  to  see  if  no 
means  of  liberation  would  offer,  but  invariably  found  the 
eyes  of  his  sentinel  fixed  on  him  with  the  watchfulness  of 
an  Argus.  He  longed,  with  the  ardor  of  youth,  to  join 
in  the  glorious  fray,  but  was  compelled  to  remain  a  dis 
satisfied  spectator  of  a  scene  in  which  he  would  so  cheer 
fully  have  been  an  actor.  Miss  Peyton  and  Sarah  con 
tinued  gazing  on  the  preparations  with  varied  emotions, 
in  which  concern  for  the  fate  of  the  captain  formed 
most  prominent  feeling,  until  the  moment  the  shedding 


76  THE  SPY 

of  blood  seemed  approaching,  when,  with  the  timidity  of 
their  sex,  they  sought  the  retirement  of  an  inner  room. 
Not  so  Frances:  she  returned  to  the  apartment  where  she 
had  left  Dunwoodie,  and,  from  one  of  its  windows,  had 
been  a  deeply  interested  spectator  of  all  his  movements. 
The  wheelings  of  the  troops,  the  deadly  preparations,  had 
all  been  unnoticed;  she  saw  her  lover  only,  and  with 
mingled  emotions  of  admiration  and  dread  that  nearly 
chilled  her.  At  one  moment  the  blood  rushed  to  her 
heart,  as  she  saw  the  young  warrior  riding  through  his 
ranks,  giving  life  and  courage  to  all  whom  he  addressed; 
and  the  next,  it  curdled  with  the  thought  that  the  very 
gallantry  she  so  much  valued  might  prove  the  means 
of  placing  the  grave  between  her  and  the  object  of 
her  regard.  Frances  gazed  until  she  could  look  no 
longer. 

In  a  field  on  the  left  of  the  cottage,  and  at  a  short  dis 
tance  in  the  rear  of  the  troops,  was  a  small  group,  whose 
occupation  seemed  to  differ  from  that  of  all  around  them. 
They  were  in  number  only  three,  being  two  men  and  a 
mulatto  boy.  The  principal  personage  of  this  party  was 
a  man,  whose  leanness  made  his  really  tall  stature  appear 
excessive.  He  wore  spectacles — was  unarmed,  had  dis 
mounted,  and  seemed  to  be  dividing  his  attention  between 
a  cigar,  a  book,  and  the  incidents  of  the  field  before  him. 
To  this  party  Frances  determined  to  send  a  note,  directed 
to  Dunwoodie.  She  wrote  hastily,  with  a  pencil,  "Come 
to  me,  Peyton,  if  it  be  but  for  a  moment;"  and  Gsesar 
emerged  from  the  cellar  kitchen,  taking  the  precaution 
to  go  by  the  rear  of  the  building,  to  avoid  the  sentinel 
on  the  piazza,  who  had  very  cavalierly  ordered  all  the 
family  to  remain  housed.  The  black  delivered  the  note 
to  the  gentleman,  with  a  request  that  it  might  be  for 
warded  to  Major  Dunwoodie.  It  was  the  surgeon  of  the 
horse  to  whom  CaBsar  addressed  himself;  and  the  teeth 
of  the  African  chattered,  as  he  saw  displayed  upon  the 
ground  the  several  instruments  which  were  in  preparation 
for  the  anticipated  operations.  The  doctor  himself  seemed 
to  view  the  arrangement  with  great  satisfaction,  as  he 
deliberately  raised  his  eyes  from  his  book  to  order  the 
boy  to  convey  the  note  to  his  commanding  officer,  and 


THE  SPY  77 

then  dropping  them  quietly  on  the  page  he  continued  his 
occupation.  Caesar  was  slowly  retiring,  as  the  third  per 
sonage,  who  by  his  dress  might  be  an  inferior  assistant 
of  the  surgical  department,  coolly  inquired  "if  he  would 
have  a  leg  taken  off?"  This  question  seemed  to  remind 
the  black  of  the  existence  of  those  limbs;  for  he  made 
such  use  of  them  as  to  reach  the  piazza  at  the  same  in 
stant  that  Major  Dunwoodie  rode  up,  at  half  speed.  The 
brawny  sentinel  squared  himself,  and  poised  his  sword 
with  military  precision  as  he  stood  on  his  post,  while  his 
officer  passed;  but  no  sooner  had  the  door  closed,  than, 
turning  to  the  negro,  he  said,  sharply: 

"Harkee,  blackey,  if  you  quit  the  house  again  without 
my  knowledge,  I  shall  turn  barber,  and  shave  off  one  of 
those  ebony  ears  with  this  razor." 

Thus  assailed  in  another  member,  Caesar  hastily  re 
treated  into  his  kitchen,  muttering  something,  in  which 
the  words  "Skinner,"  and  "rebel  rascal,"  formed  a 
principal  part  of  speech. 

"Major  Dunwoodie,"  said  Frances  to  her  lover  as  he 
entered,  "I  may  have  done  you  injustice;  if  I  have 
appeared  harsh — 

The  emotions  of  the  agitated  girl  prevailed,  and  she 
burst  into  tears. 

"Frances,"  cried  the  soldier  with  warmth,  "you  are 
never  harsh,  never  unjust,  but  when  you  doubt  my 
love." 

"Ah!  Dunwoodie,"  added  the  sobbing  girl,     you  are 
about  to  risk  your  life  in  battle;  remember  that  there  i 
one  heart  whose  happiness  is  built  on  your  safety;  brave 
I  know  you  are :  be  prudent— 

"For  your  sake?"  .inquired  the  delighted  youth. 

"For  my  sake,"  replied  Frances,  in  a  voice  barely 
audible,  and  dropping  on  his  bosom. 

Dunwoodie  folded  her  to  his  heart,  and  was  about 
speak,  as  a  trumpet  sounded  in  the  southern  end  of 
vale.     Imprinting  one  long  kiss  of  affection  on  her 
sisting  lips,  the  soldier  tore  himself  from  his  mistress, 
and  hastened  to  the  scene  of  strife. 

Frances  threw  herself  on  a  sofa   buried  her  h 
its  cushion,  and  with  her  shawl  drawn  over  her  face,  t< 


78  THE   SPY 

exclude  as  much  of  sound  as  possible,  continued  there 
until  the  shouts  of  the  combatants,  the  rattling  of  the 
fire-arms,  and  the  thundering  tread  of  the  horses  had 
ceased. 


CHAPTER  VII 

"The  game's  afoot; 
Follow  your  spirit." 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  rough  and  unimproved  face  of  the  country,  the 
frequency  of  covers,  together  with  the  great  distance 
from  their  own  country,  and  the  facilities  afforded  them 
for  rapid  movements  to  the  different  points  of  war,  by 
the  undisputed  command  of  the  ocean,  had  united  to 
deter  the  English  from  employing  a  heavy  force  in  cav 
alry,  in  their  early  efforts  to  subdue  the  revolted  colonies. 

Only  one  regiment  of  regular  horse  was  sent  from  the 
mother-country,  during  the  struggle.  But  legions  and 
independent  corps  were  formed  in  different  places,  as  it 
best  accorded  with  the  views  of  the  royal  commanders,  or 
suited  the  exigency  of  the  times.  These  were  not  unfre- 
quently  composed  of  men  raised  in  the  colonies,  and  at 
other  times  drafts  were  had  from  the  regiments  of  the 
line,  and  the  soldiers  were  made  to  lay  aside  the  musket 
and  bayonet,  and  taught  to  wield  the  sabre  and  carbine. 
One  particular  body  of  the  subsidiary  troops  was  included 
in  this  arrangement,  and  the  Hessian  yagers  were  trans 
formed  into  a  corps  of  heavy  and  inactive  horse. 

Opposed  to  them  were  the  hardiest  spirits  of  America. 
Most  of  the  cavalry  regiments  of  the  continental  army 
were  led  and  officered  by  gentlemen  from  the  South.  The 
high  and  haughty  courage  of  the  commanders  had  com 
municated  itself  to  the  privates,  who  were  men  selected 
with  care  and  great  attention  to  the  service  they  were 
intended  to  perform. 

While  the  British  were  confined  to  their  empty  con 
quests  in  the  possession  of  a  few  of  the  larger  towns,  or 
marched  through  counties  that  were  swept  of  everything 
like  military  supplies,  the  light  troops  of  their  enemies 
had  the  range  of  the  whole  interior. 

79 


80  THE  SPY 

The  sufferings  of  the  line  of  the  American  army  were 
great  beyond  example;  but  possessing  the  power,  and 
feeling  themselves  engaged  in  a  cause  which  justified 
severity,  the  cavalry  officers  were  vigilant  in  providing 
for  their  wants,  and  the  horse  were  well  mounted,  well 
fed,  and  consequently  eminently  effective.  Perhaps  the 
world  could  not  furnish  more  brave,  enterprising,  and 
resistless  corps  of  light  cavalry,  than  a  few  that  were  in 
the  continental  service  at  the  time  of  which  we  write. 

Dunwoodie'smen  had  often  tried  their  prowess  against 
the  enemy,  and  they  now  sat  panting  to  be  led  once  more 
against  foes  whom  they  seldom  charged  in  vain.  Their 
wishes  were  soon  to  be  gratified;  for  their  commander 
had  scarcely  time  to  regain  his  seat  in  the  saddle,  before 
a  body  of  the  enemy  came  sweeping  round  the  base  of  the 
hill,  which  intersected  the  view  to  the  south.  A  few 
minutes  enabled  the  major  to  distinguish  their  character. 
In  one  troop  he  saw  the  green  coats  of  the  Cow-Boys,  and 
in  the  other  the  leathern  helmets  and  wooden  saddles  of 
the  yagers.  Their  numbers  were  about  equal  to  the 
body  under  his  immediate  orders. 

On  reaching  the  open  space  near  the  cottage  of  Harvey 
Birch,  the  enemy  halted  and  drew  up  his  men  in  line, 
evidently  making  preparations  for  a  charge.  At  this 
moment  a  column  of  foot  appeared  in  the  vale,  and  pressed 
forward  to  the  bank  of  the  brook  we  have  already  men 
tioned. 

Major  Dunwoodie  was  not  less  distinguished  by  cool 
ness  and  judgment,  than,  where  occasion  offered,  by  his 
dauntless  intrepidity.  He  at  once  saw  his  advantage,  and 
determined  to  profit  by  it.  The  column  he  led  began 
slowly  to  retire  from  the  field,  when  the  youthful  Ger 
man,  who  commanded  the  enemy's  horse,  fearful  of  miss 
ing  an  easy  conquest,  gave  the  word  to  charge.  Few 
troops  were  more  hardy  than  the  Cow-Boys;  they  sprang 
eagerly  forward  in  the  pursuit,  with  a  confidence  created 
by  the  retiring  foe  and  the  column  in  their  rear;  the 
Hessians  followed  more  slowly,  but  in  better  order.  The 
trumpets  of  the  Virginians  now  sounded  long  and  lively; 
they  were  answered  by  a  strain  from  the  party  in  ambush 
that  went  to  the  hearts  of  their  enemies.  The  column  of 


THE  SPY  81 

Dunwoodie  wheeled  in  perfect  order,  opened  and,  as  the 
word  to  charge  was  given,  the  troops  of  Lawton  emerged 
from  their  cover,  with  their  leader  in  advance,  waving 
his  sabre  over  his  head,  and  shouting,  in  a  voice  that 
was  heard  above  the  clangor  of  the  martial  music. 

The  charge  threatened  too  much  for  the  refugee  troop. 
They  scattered  in  every  direction,  flying  from  the  field  as 
fast  as  their  horses,  the  chosen  beasts  of  West-Chester, 
could  carry  them.  Only  a  few  were  hurt;  but  such  as 
did  meet  the  arms  of  their  avenging  countrymen  never 
survived  the  blow  to  tell  who  struck  it.  It  was  upon  the 
poor  vassals  of  the  German  tyrant  that  the  shock  fell. 
Disciplined  to  the  most  exact  obedience,  these  ill-fated 
men  met  the  charge  bravely,  but  they  were  swept  before 
the  mettled  horses  and  nervous  arms  of  their  antagonists 
like  chaff  before  the  wind.  Many  of  them  were  literally 
ridden  down,  and  Dunwoodie  soon  saw  the  field  without 
an  opposing  foe.  The  proximity  of  the  infantry  pre 
vented  pursuit,  and  behind  its  column  the  few  Hessians 
who  escaped  unhurt  sought  protection. 

The  more  cunning  refugees  dispersed  in  small  bands, 
taking  various  and  devious  routes  back  to  their  old  station 
in  front  of  Harlem.  Many  was  the  sufferer,  in  cattle, 
furniture,  and  person,  that  was  created  by  this  rout;  for 
the  dispersion  of  a  troop  of  Cow-Boys  was  only  the  ex 
tension  of  an  evil. 

Such  a  scene  could  not  be  expected  to  be  acted  so  near 
them,  and  the  inmates  of  the  cottage  take  no  interest  in 
the   result.     In   truth,  the  feelings  it  excited  pervaded 
every  bosom,  from  the  kitchen  to  the  parlor.     Terror  and 
horror  had  prevented  the  ladies  from  being  spectators, 
but  they  did  not  feel  the  less.     Frances  continued  lying 
in  the  posture  we  have  mentioned,  offering  up  fervent 
and  incoherent  petitions  for  the  safety  of  her  coun 
men,  although  in  her  inmost  heart  she  had  perso 
her  nation  by  the  graceful  image  of  Peyton  Dunwoodu 
Her  aunt  and  sister  were  less  exclusive  in  their  devot 
but  Sarah  began  to  feel,  as  the  horrors  of  war  were 
brought  home  to  her  senses,  less  pleasure  in  her  ani 
pated  triumphs.  . 

The   inmates  of  Mr,  Wharton's  kitchen  were  four, 


82  THE   SPY 

namely,  Caesar  and  his  spouse,  their  granddaughter,  a 
jet-black  damsel  of  twenty,  and  the  boy  before  alluded 
to.  The  blacks  were  the  remnants  of  a  race  of  negroes 
which  had  been  entailed  on  his  estate  from  Mr.  Whar- 
ton's  maternal  ancestors,  who  were  descended  from  the 
early  Dutch  colonists.  Time,  depravity,  and  death  had 
reduced  them  to  this  small  number:  and  the  boy,  who  was 
white,  had  been  added  by  Miss  Peyton  to  the  establish 
ment,  as  an  assistant,  to  perform  the  ordinary  services  of 
a  footman.  Caesar,  after  first  using  the  precaution  to 
place  himself  under  the  cover  of  an  angle  in  the  wall,  for 
a  screen  against  any  roving  bullet  which  might  be 
traversing  the  air,  became  an  amused  spectator  of  the 
skirmish.  The  sentinel  on  the  piazza  was  at  the  distance 
of  but  a  few  feet  from  him,  and  he  entered  into  the  spirit 
of  the  chase  with  all  the  ardor  of  a  tried  blood-hound :  he 
noticed  the  approach  of  the  black,  and  his  judicious  posi 
tion,  with  a  smile  of  contempt,  as  he  squared  himself 
towards  the  enemy,  offering  his  unprotected  breast  to  any 
dangers  which  might  come. 

After  considering  the  arrangement  of  Caesar,  for  a 
moment,  with  ineffable  disdain,  the  dragoon  said,  with 
great  coolness: 

"You  seem  very  careful  of  that  person  of  yours,  Mr. 
Blueskin." 

"A  bullet  hurt  a  colored  man  as  much  as  a  white, " 
muttered  the  black,  surlily,  casting  a  glance  of  much 
satisfaction  at  his  rampart. 

"Suppose  I  make  the  experiment,"  returned  the  senti 
nel:  as  he  spoke,  he  deliberately  drew  a  pistol  from  his 
belt,  and  levelled  it  at  the  black.  Caesar's  teeth  chat 
tered  at  the  appearance  of  the  dragoon,  although  he  be 
lieved  nothing  serious  was  intended.  At  this  moment 
the  column  of  Dunwoodie  began  to  retire,  and  the  royal 
cavalry  commenced  their  charge. 

"There,  Mister  Light-horseman,"  said  Caesar,  eagerly, 
who  believed  the  Americans  were  retiring  in  earnest; 
"why  you  rebels  don't  fight — see — see  how  King  George's 
men  make  Major  Dunwoodie  run!  Good  gentleman,  too, 
but  he  don't  like  to  fight  a  rig'lar." 

"Damn    your    regulars,"    cried    the   other,    fiercely: 


THE  SPY  83 

''wait  a  minute,  blackey,  and  you'll  see  Captain  Jack 
Lawton  come  out  from  behind  yonder  hill,  and  scatter 
these  Cow-Boys  like  wild  geese  who've  lost  their  leader  " 

Caesar  supposed  the  party  under  Lawton  to  have  sought 
the  shelter  of  the  hill  from  motives  similar  to  that  which 
had  induced  him  to  place  the  wall  between  himself  and 
the  battleground;  but  the  fact  soon  verified  the  trooper's 
prophecy,  and  the  black  witnessed  with  consternation  the 
total  rout  of  the  royal  horse. 

The  sentinel  manifested  his  exultation  at  the  success 
of  his  comrades  with  loud  shouts,  which  soon  brought  his 
companion,  who  had  been  left  in  the  more  immediate 
charge  of  Henry  Wharton,  to  the  open  window  of  the 
parlor. 

"See,  Tom,  see,"  cried  the  delighted  trooper,  "how 
Captain  Lawton  makes  that  Hessian's  leather  cap  fly;  and 
now  the  major  has  killed  the  officer's  horse — zounds, 
why  didn't  he  kill  the  Dutchman  and  save  the  horse?" 

A  few  pistols  were  discharged  at  the  flying  Cow-Boys, 
and  a  spent  bullet  broke  a  pane  of  glass  within  a  few  feet 
of  Caesar.  Imitating  the  posture  of  the  great  tempter  of 
our  race,  the  black  sought  the  protection  of  the  inside  of 
the  building,  and  immediately  ascended  to  the  parlor. 

The  lawn  in  front  of  the  Locusts  was  hidden  from  the 
view  of  the  road  by  a  close  line  of  shrubbery,  and  the 
horses  of  the  two  dragoons  had  been  left,  linked  together, 
under  its  shelter,  to  await  the  movements  of  their 
masters. 

At  this  moment  two  Cow-Boys,  who  had  been  cut  off 
from  a  retreat  to  their  own  party,  rode  furiously  through 
the  gate,  with  an  intention  of  escaping  to  the  open  wood 
in  the  rear  of  the  cottage. 

The  victorious  Americans  pressed  the  retreating  Ger 
mans  until  they  had  driven  them  under  the  protection  of 
the  fire  of  the  infantry;  and  feeling  themselves,  in  the 
privacy  of  the  lawn,  relieved  from  any  immediate  dan 
ger,  the  predatory  warriors  yielded  to  a  temptation  that 
few  of  the  corps  were  ever  known  to  resist— opportunity 
and  horseflesh.  With  a  hardihood  and  presence  of  mim 
that  could  only  exist  from  long  practice  in  similar  scenes, 
they  made  towards  their  intended  prizes,  by  an  almost 


84  THE  SPY 

spontaneous  movement.  They  were  busily  engaged  in 
separating  the  fastenings  of  the  horses,  when  the  trooper 
on  the  piazza  discharged  his  pistols,  and  rushed,  sword 
in  hand,  to  the  rescue. 

The  entrance  of  Gesar  into  the  parlor  had  induced  the 
wary  dragoon  within  to  turn  his  attention  more  closely  on 
his  prisoner;  but  this  new  interruption  drew  him  again 
to  the  window.  He  threw  his  body  out  of  the  build 
ing,  and  with  dreadful  imprecations  endeavored,  by  his 
threats  and  appearance,  to  frighten  the  marauders  from 
their  prey.  The  moment  was  enticing.  Three  hundred 
of  his  comrades  were  within  a  mile  of  the  cottage;  unrid- 
den  horses  were  running  at  large  in  every  direction,  and 
Henry  Wharton  seized  the  unconscious  sentinel  by  his 
legs,  and  threw  him  headlong  into  the  lawn.  Caesar 
vanished  from  the  room,  and  drew  a  bolt  of  the  outer 
door. 

The  fall  of  the  soldier  was  not  great,  and  recovering 
his  feet,  he  turned  his  fury  for  a  moment  on  his  prisoner. 
To  scale  the  window  in  the  face  of  such  an  enemy,  was, 
however,  impossible,  and  on  trial  he  found  the  main 
entrance  barred. 

His  comrade  now  called  loudly  upon  him  for  aid,  and 
forgetful  of  everything  else,  the  discomfited  trooper 
rushed  to  his  assistance.  One  horse  was  instantly  liber 
ated,  but  the  other  was  already  fastened  to  the  saddle  of 
a  Cow-Boy,  and  the  four  retired  behind  the  building, 
cutting  furiously  at  each  other  with  their  sabres,  and 
making  the  air  resound  with  their  imprecations.  Cassar 
threw  the  outer  door  open,  and  pointing  to  the  remain 
ing  horse,  that  was  quietly  biting  the  faded  herbage  of 
the  lawn,  he  exclaimed: 

' '  Run — now — run — Massa  Harry,  run. ' ' 

"Yes,"  cried  the  youth  as  he  vaulted  into  the  saddle, 
"now,  indeed,  my  honest  fellow,  is  the  time  to  run." 
He  beckoned  hastily  to  his  father,  who  stood  at  the  win 
dow  in  speechless  anxiety,  with  his  hands  extended 
tov/ards  his  child  in  the  attitude  of  benediction,  and  add 
ing,  "God  bless  you,  Caesar,  salute  the  girls,"  he  dashed 
through  the  gate,  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning. 

The  African  watched  him  with  anxiety  as  he  gained 


THE  SPY  85 

the  highway,  saw  him  incline  to  the  right,  and  riding 
furiously  under  the  brow  of  some  rocks,  which  on  that 
side  rose  perpendicularly,  disappear  behind  a  projection 
which  soon  hid  him  from  view. 

The  delighted  Caesar  closed  the  door,  pushing  bolt  after 
bolt,  and  turning  the  key  until  it  would  turn  no  more, 
soliloquizing  the  whole  time  on  the  happy  escape  of  his 
young  master. 

"How  well  he  ride— teach  him  good  deal  myself— salute 
a  young  lady— Miss  Fanny  wouldn't  let  old  colored  man 
kiss  a  red  cheek." 

When  the  fortune  of  the  day  was  decided,  and  the  time 
arrived  for  the  burial  of  the  dead,  two  Cow-Boys  and  a 
Virginian  were  found  in  the  rear  of  the  Locusts,  to  be 
included  in  the  number. 

Happily  for  Henry  Wharton,  the  searching  eyes  of  his 
captors  were  examining,  through  a  pocket-glass,  the  col 
umn  of  infantry  that  still  held  its  position  on  the  bank  of 
the  stream,  while  the  remnants  of  the  Hessian  yagers 
were  seeking  its  friendly  protection.  His  horse  was  of 
the  best  blood  of  Virginia,  and  carried  him  with  the 
swiftness  of  the  wind  along  the  valley;  and  the  heart  of 
the  youth  was  already  beating  tumultuously  with  pleasure 
at  his  deliverance,  when  a  well-known  voice  reached  his 
startled  ear,  crying  aloud: 

"Bravely  done,  captain!  Don't  spare  the  whip,  and 
turn  to  your  left  before  you  cross  the  brook." 

Wharton  turned  his  head  in  surprise,  and  saw,  sitting 
on  the  point  of  a  jutting  rock  that  commanded  a  bird's- 
eye  view  of  the  valley,  his  former  guide,  Harvey  Birch. 
His  pack,  much  diminished  in  size,  lay  at  the  feet  of  the 
peddler,  who  waved  his  hat  to  the  youth,  exultingly,  as 
the  latter  flew  by  him.     The  English  captain  tookl 
advice  of  this  mysterious  being,  and  finding  a  good  road, 
which  led  to  the  highway  that  intersected  the  val 
turned  down  its  direction,  and  was  soon  oppoj 
friends.     The   next  minute  he  crossed  the  bridge,  a 
stopped  his  charger  before  his  old  acquaintance,  C 


"Captain  Wharton!"  exclaimed  the  astonished  com 
mander  of  the  English  troops,  "dressed  in  mol 


86  THE  SPY 

mounted  on  a  rebel  dragoon  horse!  are  you  from  the 
clouds  in  this  attire,  and  in  such  a  style?" 

"Thank  God!"  cried  the  youth,  recovering  his  breath, 
"I  am  safe,  and  have  escaped  from  the  hands  of  my 
enemies;  but  five  minutes  since  and  I  was  a  prisoner, 
and  threatened  with  the  gallows." 

"The  gallows,  Captain  Wharton!  surely  those  traitors 
to  the  king  would  never  dare  to  commit  another  murder 
in  cold  blood;  is  it  not  enough  that  they  took  the  life  of 
Andre?  wherefore  did  they  threaten  you  with  a  similar 
fate?" 

"Under  the  pretence  of  a  similar  offence,"  said  the 
captain,  briefly  explaining  to  the  group  of  listeners  the 
manner  of  his  capture,  the  grounds  of  his  personal  appre 
hensions,  and  the  method  of  his  escape.  By  the  time  he 
had  concluded  his  narration,  the  fugitive  Germans  were 
collected  in  the  rear  of  the  column  of  infantry,  and  Colo 
nel  Wellmere  cried  aloud: 

"From  my  soul  I  congratulate  you,  my  brave  friend; 
mercy  is  a  quality  with  which  these  traitors  are  unac 
quainted,  and  you  are  doubly  fortunate  in  escaping  from 
their  hands  uninjured.  Prepare  yourself  to  grant  me 
your  assistance,  and  I  will  soon  afford  you  a  noble 
revenge." 

"I  do  not  think  there  was  danger  of  personal  outrage 
to  any  man,  Colonel  Wellmere,  from  a  party  that  Major 
Dunwoodie  commands,"  returned  young  Wharton,  with  a 
slight  glow  on  his  face:  "his  character  is  above  the  im 
putation  of  such  an  offense;  neither  do  I  think  it  alto 
gether  prudent  to  cross  this  brook  into  the  open  plain,  in 
the  face  of  those  Virginian  horse,  flushed  as  they  must  be 
with  the  success  they  have  just  obtained." 

"Do  you  call  the  rout  of  those  irregulars  and  these 
sluggish  Hessians  a  deed  to  boast  of?"  said  the  other, 
with  a  contemptuous  smile;  "you  speak  of  the  affair, 
Captain  Wharton,  as  if  your  boasted  Mr.  Dunwoodie,  for 
major  he  is  none,  had  discomfited  the  body-guards  of 
your  king." 

"And  I  must  be  allowed  to  say,  Colonel  Wellmere,  that 
if  the  body-guards  of  my  king  were  in  yon  field,  they 
would  meet  a  foe  that  it  would  be  dangerous  to  despise. 


THE  SPY  87 

Sir,  my  boasted  Mr.  Dunwoodie  is  the  pride  of  Wash 
ington's  army  as  a  cavalry  officer,"  cried  Henry,  with 
warmth. 

"Dunwoodie,  Dunwoodie!"  repeated  the  colonel,  slow 
ly;  ^'surely  I  have  met  the  gentleman  before." 

"I  have  been  told  you  once  saw  him  for  a  moment,  at 
the  town  residence  of  my  sisters,"  replied  Wharton,  with 
a  lurking  smile. 

"Ah!  I  do  remember  me  of  such  a  youth;  and  does  the 
most  potent  congress  of  these  rebellious  colonies  intrust 
their  soldiers  to  the  leading  of  such  a  warrior!" 

"Ask  the  commander  of  yon  Hessian  horse,  whether  he 
thinks  Major  Dunwoodie  worthy  of  the  confidence." 

Colonel  Wellmere  was  far  from  wanting  that  kind  of 
pride  which  makes  a  man  bear  himself  bravely  in  the 
presence  of  his  enemies.  He  had  served  in  America  a 
long  time,  without  ever  meeting  with  any  but  new  raised 
levies,  or  the  militia  of  the  country.  These  would  some 
times  fight,  and  that  fearlessly,  but  they  as  often  chose  to 
run  away  without  pulling  a  trigger.  He  was  too  apt  to 
judge  from  externals,  and  thought  it  impossible  for  men 
whose  gaiters  were  so  clean,  whose  tread  so  regular,  and 
who  wheeled  with  so  much  accuracy,  to  be  beaten.  In 
addition  to  all  these,  they  were  Englishmen,  and  their 
success  was  certain.  Colonel  Wellmere  had  never  been 
kept  much  in  the  field,  or  these  notions,  which  he  had 
brought  with  him  from  home,  and  which  had  been 
greatly  increased  by  the  vaporing  of  a  garrisoned  town, 
would  have  long  since  vanished.  He  listened  to  the 
warm  reply  of  Captain  Wharton  with  a  supercilious 
smile,  and  then  inquired: 

"You  would  not  have  us  retire,  sir,  before  these  t 
horsemen,    without  doing  something  that   may   deprive 
them  of  part  of  the  glory  which  you  appear  to  think  tl 
have  gained!" 

"I  would  have  you  advised,  Colonel  Wellmere,  of  ' 
danger  you  are  about  to  encounter." 

"Danger  is  but  an  unseemly  word  for  a  soldier, 
tinued  the  British  commander,  with  a  sneer. 

"And  one  as  little  dreaded  by  the  60th  as  any. 
who   wear   the    royal    livery,"    cried   Henry   Wharton, 


88 

fiercely,  "give  but  the  word  to  charge,  and  let  our 
actions  speak." 

"Now  again  I  know  my  young  friend,"  cried  Well- 
mere,  soothingly;  "but  if  you  have  anything  to  say  be 
fore  we  fight,  that  can  in  any  manner  help  us  in  our 
attack,  we'll  listen.  You  know  the  force  of  the  rebels; 
are  there  more  of  them  in  ambush?" 

"Yes,"  replied  the  youth,  chafing  still  under  the 
other's  sneers,  "in  the  skirt  of  this  wood  on  our  right 
are  a  small  party  of  foot;  their  horse  are  all  before  you." 

"Where  they  will  not  continue  long,"  cried  Wellmere, 
turning  to  the  few  officers  around  him.  "Gentlemen, 
we  will  cross  the  stream  in  column,  and  display  on  the 
plain  beyond,  or  else  we  shall  not  be  able  to  entice 
these  valiant  Yankees  within  the  reach  of  our  muskets. 
Captain  Wharton,  I  claim  your  assistance  as  an  aid- 
de-camp." 

The  youth  shook  his  head  in  disapprobation  of  a  move 
ment  which  his  good  sense  taught  him  was  rash,  but  pre 
pared  with  alacrity  to  perform  his  duty  in  the  impending 
trial. 

During  this  conversation,  which  was  held  at  a  small 
distance  in  advance  of  the  British  column,  and  in  full 
view  of  the  Americans,  Dunwoodie  had  been  collecting 
his  scattered  troops,  securing  his  few  prisoners,  and  re 
tiring  to  the  ground  where  he  had  been  posted  at  the  first 
appearance  of  his  enemy.  Satisfied  with  the  success  he 
had  already  obtained,  and  believing  the  English  too  wary 
to  give  him  an  opportunity  of  harassing  them  further,  he 
was  about  to  withdraw  the  guides,  and,  leaving  a  strong 
party  on  the  ground  to  watch  the  movements  of  the  regu 
lars,  to  fall  back  a  few  miles  to  a  favorable  place  for 
taking  up  his  quarters  for  the  night.  Captain  Lawton 
was  reluctantly  listening  to  the  reasoning  of  his  com 
mander,  and  had  brought  out  his  favorite  glass,  to  see  if 
no  opening  could  be  found  for  an  advantageous  attack, 
when  he  suddenly  exclaimed: 

"How's  this!  a  bluecoat  among  those  scarlet  gentry? 
As  I  hope  to  live  to  see  old  Virginia,  it  is  my  masquer 
ading  friend  of  the  60th,  the  handsome  Captain  Whar 
ton,  escaped  from  two  of  my  best  men!" 


THE  SPY  89 


He  had  not  done  speaking  when  the  survivor  of 
heroes  joined  iis  troop,  bringing  with  him  his  own  hors-a 
and  those  of  tne  Cow-Boys;  he  reported  the  death  of  his 
comrade,  and  the  escape  of  his  prisoner.  Ac  the  deceased 
was  the  immediate  sentinel  over  the  person  of  young 
Wharton,  and  the  other  was  not  to  be  blamed  for  defend 
ing  the  horses,  which  were  more  particularly  under  his 
care,  his  captain  heard  him  with  uneasiness  but  without 
anger. 

This  intelligence  made  an  entire  change  in  the  views  of 
Major  Dunwoodie.  He  saw  at  once  that  his  own  reputa 
tion  was  involved  in  the  escape  of  his  prisoner.  The 
order  to  recall  the  guides  was  countermanded,  and  he 
now  joined  his  second  in  command,  watching,  as  eagerly 
as  the  impetuous  Lawton  himself,  for  some  opening  to 
assail  his  foe  to  advantage. 

But  two  hours  before,  and  Dunwoodie  had  felt  the 
chance  which  made  Henry  Wharton  his  captive,  as  the 
severest  blow  he  had  ever  sustained.  Now  he  panted  for 
an  opportunity  in  which,  by  risking  his  own  life,  he 
might  recapture  his  friend.  All  other  considerations 
were  lost  in  the  goadings  of  c.  wounded  spirit,  and  he 
might  have  soon  emulated  Lawton  in  hardihood,  had  not 
Wellmere  and  his  troops  at  this  moment  crossed  the 
brook  into  the  open  plain. 

"There,"  cried  the  delighted  captain,  as  he  pointe 
out  the  movement  with  his  finger,   "there  comes^John 
Bull  into  the  mouse-trap,  and  with  eyes  wide  open. 

"Surely,"  said  Dunwoodie,  eagerly,  "he  will  not  dis 
play  his  column  on  that  flat:  Wharton  must  tell  him  o: 
the  ambush.  But  if  he  does— 

"We  will  not  leave  him  a  dozen  sound  skins  in  his 
talion,"  interrupted  the  other,  springing  into  his  si 

The  truth  was  soon  apparent;  for  the  English  column, 
after  advancing  for  a  short  distance  on  the  level 
displayed  with  an  accuracy  that  would  have  done  them 
honor  on  a  field-day  in  their  own  Hyde  Park. 

"Prepare  to  mount-mount!"  cried  Dunwoodic 
last  wo?d  being  repeated  by  Lawton  in  a  tone  t 
in  the  ears  of  Caesar,  who  stood  at  the  open  w 
the  cottage.     The  black  recoiled  in  dismay,  havin 


90  THE   SPY 

i 

all  his  confidence  in  Captain  Lawton's  timidity;  for  he 
thought  he  yet  saw  him  emerging  from  his  cover  and 
waving  his  sword  on  high. 

As  the  British  line  advanced  slowly  and  in  exact  order, 
the  guides  opened  a  galling  fire.  It  began  to  annoy  that 
part  of  the  royal  troops  which  was  nearest  to  them. 
Wellmere  listened  to  the  advice  of  the  veteran  who  was 
next  to  him  in  rank,  and  ordered  two  companies  to  dis 
lodge  the  American  foot  from  their  hiding-place.  The 
movement  created  a  slight  confusion;  and  Dunwoodie 
seized  the  opportunity  to  charge.  No  ground  could  be 
more  favorable  for  the  manoeuvres  of  horse,  and  the 
attack  of  the  Virginians  was  irresistible.  It  was  aimed 
chiefly  at  the  bank  opposite  to  the  wood,  in  order  to  clear 
the  Americans  from  the  fire  of  their  friends  who  were 
concealed;  and  it  was  completely  successful.  Wellmere, 
who  was  on  the  left  of  his  line,  was  overthrown  by  the 
impetuous  fury  of  his  assailants.  Dunwoodie  was  in 
time  to  save  him  from  the  impending  blow  of  one  of  his 
men,  and  raised  him  from  the  ground,  had  him  placed  on 
a  horse,  and  delivered  to  the  custody  of  his  orderly.  The 
officer  who  had  suggested  the  attack  upon  the  guides  had 
been  intrusted  with  its  execution,  but  the  menace  was 
sufficient  for  these  irregulars.  In  fact,  their  duty  was 
performed,  and  they  retired  along  the  skirt  of  the  wood, 
with  intent  to  regain  their  horses,  which  had  been  left 
under  a  guard  at  the  upper  end  of  the  valley. 

The  left  of  the  British  line  was  outflanked  by  the 
Americans,  who  doubled  in  their  rear,  and  thus  made  the 
rout  in  that  quarter  total.  But  the  second  in  command, 
perceiving  how  the  battle  went,  promptly  wheeled  his 
party,  and  threw  in  a  heavy  fire  on  the  dragoons,  as  they 
passed  him  to  the  charge;  with  this  party  was  Henry 
Wharton,  who  had  volunteered  to  assist  in  dispersing  the 
guides;  a  ball  struck  his  bridle-arm,  and  compelled  him 
to  change  hands.  As  the  dragoons  dashed  by  them,  rend 
ing  the  air  with  their  shouts,  and  with  trumpets  sounding 
a  lively  strain,  the  charger  ridden  by  the  youth  became 
ungovernable — he  plunged,  reared,  and  his  rider  being 
unable  with  his  wounded  arm,  to  manage  the  impatient 
animal,  Henry  Wharton  found  himself,  in  less  than  a 


THE  SPY  91 

minute,  unwillingly  riding  by  the  side  of  Captain  Law- 
ton.  The  dragcon  comprehended  at  a  glance  the  ludi 
crous  situation  oF  his  new  comrade,  but  had  only  time  to 
cry^  aloud,  beforethey  plunged  into  the  English  line: 

"The  horse  kntws  the  righteous  cause  better  than  his 
rider.  Captain  \\harton,  you  are  welcome  to  the  ranks 
of  freedom." 

No  time  was  lost,however,  by  Lawton,  after  the  charge 
was  completed,  in  securing  his  prisoner  again;  and  per 
ceiving  him  to  be  hut,  he  directed  him  to  be  conveyed  to 
the  rear. 

The  Virginian  troopers  dealt  out  their  favors  with  no 
gentle  hands,  on  tha;  part  of  the  royal  foot  who  were 
thus  left  in  a  great  neasure  at  their  mercy.  Dunwoodie, 
observing  that  the  lemnant  of  the  Hessians  had  again 
ventured  on  the  plain,  led  on  in  pursuit,  and  easily  over 
taking  their  light  and  half-fed  horses,  soon  destroyed  the 
remainder  of  the  detachment. 

In  the  meanwhile,  great  numbers  of  the  English,  tak 
ing  advantage  of  the  smoke  and  confusion  in  the  field, 
were  enabled  to  get  in  the  rear  of  the  body  of  their  coun 
trymen,  which  still  preserved  its  order  in  a  line  parallel 
to  the  wood,  but  which  had  been  obliged  to  hold  its  fire 
from  the  fear  of  injuring  friends  as  well  as  foes.  The 
fugitives  were  directed  to  form  a  second  line  within  the 
wood  itself,  and  under  cover  of  the  trees.  This  arrange 
ment  was  not  yet  completed,  when  Captain  Lawton  called 
to  a  youth,  who  commanded  the  other  troop  left  with 
that  part  of  the  force  which  remained  on  the  ground,  and 
proposed  charging  the  unbroken  line  of  the  British.  The 
proposal  was  as  promptly  accepted  as  it  had  been  made, 
and  the  troops  were  arrayed  for  the  purpose.  The  eager 
ness  of  their  leader  prevented  the  preparations  necessary 
to  insure  success,  and  the  horse,  receiving  a  destructive 
fire  as  they  advanced,  were  thrown  into  additional  confu 
sion.  Both  Lawton  and  his  more  juvenile  comrade  fell  at 
this  discharge.  Fortunately  for  the  credit  of  Virginians 
Major  Dunwoodie  re-entered  the  field  at  this  cri 
instant;  he  saw  his  troops  in  disorder;  at  his  feet  lay  wel 
tering  in  blood  George  Singleton,  a  youth  endeared 
him  by  numberless  virtues,  and  Lawton  was  unhorsed  an< 


92  THE  SPY 

stretched  on  the  plain.  The  eye  of  the  youthful  warrior 
flashed  fire.  Riding  between  this  squadron  and  the  en 
emy,  in  a  voice  that  reached  the  hearts  tf  his  dragoons, 
he  recalled  them  to  their  duty.  His  piesence  and  words 
acted  like  magic.  The  clamor  of  voices  ceased;  the  line 
was  formed  promptly  and  with  exactitude;  the  charge 
sounded;  and,  led  on  by  their  commancer,  the  Virginians 
swept  across  the  plain  with  an  impetuosity  that  nothing 
could  withstand,  and  the  field  was  i.istantly  cleared  of 
the  enemy;  those  who  were  not  destroyed  sought  a  shel 
ter  in  the  woods.  Dunwoodie  slowlj  withdrew  from  the 
fire  of  the  English  who  were  covered  by  the  trees,  and 
commenced  the  painful  duty  of  collecting  his  dead  and 
wounded. 

The  sergeant  charged  with  conducting  Henry  Wharton 
to  a  place  where  he  might  procure  surgical  aid,  set  about 
performing  his  duty  with  alacrity,  in  order  to  return  as 
soon  as  possible  to  the  scene  of  strife.  They  had  not 
reached  the  middle  of  the  plain,  before  the  captain  noticed 
a  man  whose  appearance  and  occupation  forcibly  arrested 
his  attention.  His  head  was  bald  and  bare,  but  a  well- 
powdered  wig  was  to  be  seen,  half -concealed,  in  the  pocket 
of  his  breeches.  His  coat  was  off,  and  his  arms  were 
naked  to  the  elbow;  blood  had  disfigured  much  of  his 
dress,  and  his  hands,  and  even  face,  bore  this  mark  of  his 
profession;  in  his  mouth  was  a  cigar;  in  his  right  hand 
some  instruments  of  strange  formation,  and  in  his  left 
the  remnants  of  an  apple,  with  which  he  occasionally 
relieved  the  duty  of  the  before-mentioned  cigar.  He 
was  standing,  lost  in  the  contemplation  of  a  Hessian,  who 
lay  breathless  before  him.  At  a  little  distance  were 
three  or  four  of  the  guides,  leaning  on  their  muskets,  and 
straining  their  eyes  |in  the  direction  of  the  combatants, 
and  at  his  elbow  stood  a  man  who,  from  the  implements 
in  his  hand,  and  his  bloody  vestments,  seemed  an  as 
sistant. 

"There,  sir,  is  the  doctor,"  said  the  attendant  of 
Henry  very  coolly;  "he  will  patch  up  your  arm  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye;"  and  beckoning  to  the  guides  to 
approach,  he  whispered  and  pointed  to  his  prisoner,  and 
then  galloped  furiously  towards  his  comrades. 


THE  SPY  93 

Wharton  advanced  to  the  side  of  this  strange  figure, 
and  observing  himself  to  be  unnoticed,  was  about  to 
request  his  assistance,  when  the  other  broke  silence  in  a 
soliloquy: 

''Now,  I  know  this  man  to  have  been  killed  by  Captain 
Lawton,  as  well  as  if  I  had  seen  him  strike  the  blow. 
How  often  have  I  strove  to  teach  him  the  manner  in  which 
he  can  disable  his  adversary,  without  destroying  life!  It 
is  cruel  thus  unnecessarily  to  cut  off  the  human  race,  and 
furthermore,  such  blows  as  these  render  professional  as 
sistance  unnecessary;  it  is  in  a  measure  treating  the 
lights  of  science  with  disrespect." 

"If,  sir,  your  leisure  will  admit,"  said  Hemy  Whar 
ton,  "I  must  beg  your  attention  to  a  slight  hurt." 

"Ah!"  cried  the  other,  starting,  and  examining  him 
from  head  to  foot,  "you  are  from  the  field  below;  is  there 
much  business  there,  sir?" 

"Indeed,"  answered  Henry,  accepting  the  offer  of  the 
surgeon  to  assist  in  removing  his  coat,  "'tis  a  stirring 
time,  I  can  assure  you." 

"Stirring!"   repeated   the    surgeon,  busily  employed 
with  his  dressings;  "you  give  me  great  pleasure,  sir;  for 
so  long  as  they  can  stir  there  must  be  life;  and  whi 
there  is  life,  you  know,  there  is  hope;  but  here  my  art 
of  no  use.     I  did  put  in  the  brains  of  one  patient,  but 
rather  think  the  man  must  have  been  dead  before  ] 
him      It  is  a  curious  case,  sir;  I  will  take  you  to  » 
only  across  the  fence  there,  where  you  may  perceive  s 
many  bodies  together.     Ah!  the  ball  has  glanced  aroun. 
the  bone  without  shattering  it;  you  are  fortunate 
ing  into  the  hands  of  an  old  practitioner,  or  you  o 
have  lost  this  limb."  ,,, 

"Indeed!"  said  Henry,  with  a  slight  uneasiness, 
did  not  apprehend  the  injury  to  be  so  serious. 

"Oh'  the  hurt  is  not  bad,  but  you  have  such  a  pr 
arm  for  an  operation;  the  pleasure  of  the  thing  might 


he  captain;  "can  there  be  any 
pleasure  in  mutilating  a  fellow-creature 


94  THE   SPY 

might  tempt  a  younger  man,  in  the  hurry  of  business,  to 
overlook  all  the  particulars  of  the  case. ' ' 

Further  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  appear 
ance  of  the  dragoons,  slowly  marching  towards  their 
former  halting-place,  and  new  applications  from  the 
slightly  wounded  soldiers,  who  now  came  riding  in, 
making  hasty  demands  on  the  skill  of  the  doctor. 

The  guides  took  charge  of  Wharton,  and,  with  a  heavy 
heart,  the  young  man  retraced  his  steps  to  his  father's 
cottage. 

The  English  had  lost  in  the  several  charges  about  one- 
third  of  their  foot,  but  the  remainder  were  rallied  in  the 
wood ;  and  Dunwoodie,  perceiving  them  to  be  too  strongly 
posted  to  assail,  had  left  a  strong  party  with  Captain 
Lawton,  with  orders  to  watch  their  motions,  and  to  seize 
every  opportunity  to  harass  them  before  they  re-em 
barked. 

Intelligence  had  reached  the  major  of  another  party 
being  out,  by  the  way  of  the  Hudson,  and  his  duty 
required  that  he  should  hold  himself  in  readiness  to 
defeat  the  intentions  of  these  also.  Captain  Lawton  re 
ceived  his  orders  with  strong  injunctions  to  make  no 
assault  on  the  foe,  unless  a  favorable  chance  should  offer. 

The  injury  received  by  this  officer  was  in  the  head, 
being  stunned  by  a  glancing  bullet;  and  parting  with  a 
laughing  declaration  from  the  major,  that  if  he  again 
forgot  himself,  they  should  all  think  him  more  materially 
hurt,  each  took  his  own  course. 

The  British  were  a  light  party  without  baggage,  that 
had  been  sent  out  to  destroy  certain  stores,  understood  to 
be  collecting  for  the  use  of  the  American  army.  They 
now  retired  through  the  woods  to  the  heights,  and,  keep 
ing  the  route  along  their  summits,  in  places  unassailable 
by  cavalry,  commenced  a  retreat  to  their  boats. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

"  With  fire  and  sword  the  country  round 

Was  wasted  far  and  wide; 
And  many  a  chiiding  mother  then, 

And  new-born  infant,  died; 
But  things  like  these,  you  know,  must  be 
At  every  famous  victory-" 

— SOUTHBY. 

THE  last  sounds  of  the  combat  died  on  the  ears  of  the 
anxious  listeners  in  the  cottage,  and  were  succeeded  by 
the  stillness  of  suspense.  Frances  had  continued  by  her 
self,  striving  to  exclude  the  uproar,  and  vainly  endeavor 
ing  to  summon  resolution  to  meet  the  dreaded  result. 
The  ground  where,  the  charge  on  the  foot  had  taken  place 
was  but  a  short  mile  from  the  Locusts,  and,  in  the  inter 
vals  of  the  musketry,  the  cries  of  the  soldiers  had  even 
reached  the  ears  of  its  inhabitants.  After  witness  ing  the 
escape  of  his  son,  Mr.  Wharton  had  joined  his  sister  and 
eldest  daughter  in  their  retreat,  and  the  three  continued 
fearfully  waiting  for  news  from  the  field.  Unable  longer 
to  remain  under  the  painful  uncertainty  of  her  situation, 
Frances  soon  added  herself  to  the  uneasy  group,  and 
Ceesar  was  directed  to  examine  into  the  state  of  things 
without,  and  report  on  whose  banners  victory  had 
alighted.  The  father  now  briefly  related  to  his  astonished 
children  the  circumstance  and  manner  of  their  brother1! 
escape.  They  were  yet  in  the  freshness  of  their  surprise, 
when  the  door  opened,  and  Captain  Wharton,  attended  by 
a  couple  of  the  guides,  and  followed  by  the  black,  si 
before  them. 

"Henry— my  son,  my  son,"  cried  the  agitated  parent, 
stretching  out  his  arms,  yet  unable  to  rise  from  his 
"what  is  it  I  see;  are  you  again  a  captive,  and 
of  your  life?"  .,   ,  ,, 

"The  better  fortune  of  these  rebels  has  prevailed, 
said  the  youth,  endeavoring  to  force  a  cheerful  smile,  an. 

95 


96  THE   SPY 

taking  a  hand  of  each  of  his  distressed  sisters.  "I  strove, 
nobly  for  my  liberty;  but  the  perverse  spirit  of  rebellion 
has  even  lighted  on  their  horses.  The  steed  I  mounted 
carried  me,  greatly  against  my  will,  I  acknowledge,  into 
the  very  centre  of  Dunwoodie's  men." 

"And  you  were  again  captured,"  continued  the  father, 
casting  a  fearful  glance  on  the  armed  attendants  who  had 
entered  the  room. 

"That,  sir,  you  may  safely  say;  this  Mr.  Lawton,  who 
sees  so  far,  had  me  in  custody  again  immediately." 

"Why  you  no  hold  'em  in,  Massa  Harry?"  cried  Caesar, 
pettishly. 

"That,"  said  Wharton,  smiling,  "was  a  thing  easier 
said  than  done,  Mr.  Caesar,  especially  as  these  gentlemen" 
(glancing  his  eyes  at  the  guides)  "had  seen  proper  to 
deprive  me  of  the  use  of  my  better  arm." 

"Wounded!"  exclaimed  both  sisters  in  a  breath. 

"A  mere  scratch,  but  disabling  me  at  a  most  critical 
moment,"  continued  the  brother,  kindly,  and  stretching 
out  the  injured  limb  to  manifest  the  truth  of  his  declara 
tion.  Csesar  threw  a  look  of  bitter  animosity  on  the 
irregular  warriors  who  were  thought  to  have  had  an 
agency  in  the  deed,  and  left  the  room.  A  few  more  words 
sufficed  to  explain  all  that  Captain  Wharton  knew  relative 
to  the  fortune  of  the  day.  The  result  he  thought  yet 
doubtful,  for  when  he  left  the  ground,  the  Virginians 
were  retiring  from  the  field  of  battle. 

"They  had  tree'd  the  squirrel,"  said  one  of  the  senti 
nels  abruptly,  "and  didn't  quit  the  ground  without  leav 
ing  a  good  hound  for  the  chase  when  he  comes  down. ' ' 

"Aye,"  added  his  comrade,  dryly,  "I'm  thinking  Cap 
tain  Lawton  will  count  the  noses  of  what  are  left  before 
they  see  their  whale-boats." 

Frances  had  stood  supporting  herself  by  the  back  of 
a  chair  during  this  dialogue,  catching,  in  breathless 
anxiety,  every  syllable  as  it  was  uttered;  her  color 
changed  rapidly;  her  limbs  shook  under  her;  until,  with 
desperate  resolution,  she  inquired: 

"Is  any  officer  hurt  on — the — on  either  side?" 

"Yes,"  answered  the  man,  cavalierly,  "these  Southern 
youths  are  so  full  of  mettle,  that  it's  seldom  we  fight  but 


THE  SPY  97 

one  or  two  gets  knocked  over;  one  of  the  wounded,  who 
came  up  before  the  troops,  told  me  that  Captain  Single 
ton  was  killed,  and  Major  Dunwoodie — 

Frances  heard  no  more,  but  fell  lifeless  in  the  chair 
behind  her.  The  attention  of  her  friends  soon  revived  her 
when  the  captain,  turning  to  the  man,  said,  fearfully: 

"Surely  Major  Dunwoodie  is  unhurt?" 

"Never  fear  him,"  added  the  guide,  disregarding  the 
agitation  of  the  family;  "they  say  a  man  who  is  born  to  be . 
hanged  will  never  be  drowned;  if  a  bullet  could  kill  the 
major,  he  would  have  been  dead  long  aga  I  was  going 
to  say,  that  the  major  is  in  a  sad  taking  because  of  the 
captain's  being  killed;  but  had  I  known  how  much  store 
the  lady  set  by  him,  I  wouldn't  have  been  so  plain- 
spoken." 

Frances  now  rose  quickly  from  her  seat,  with  cheeks 
glowing  with  confusion,  and,  leaning  on  her  aunt,  was 
about  to  retire,  when  Dunwoodie  himself  appeared.  The 
first  emotion  of  the  agitated  girl  was  unalloyed  happi 
ness;  in  the  next  instant  she  shrank  back  appalled  from 
the  unusual  expression  that  reigned  in  his  countenance. 
The  sternness  of  battle  yet  sat  on  his  brow;  his  eye  was 
fixed  and  severe.  The  smile  of  affection  that  used  to 
lighten  his  dark  features  on  meeting  his  mistress,  was 
supplanted  by  the  lowering  look  of  care;  his  whole  soul 
seemed  to  be  absorbed  in  one  engrossing  emotion,  and  he 
proceeded  at  once  to  his  object. 

"Mr    Wharton,"he  earnestly  began,     in  times  li! 
these  we  need  not  stand  on  idle  ceremony;  one  of 
officers,  I  am  afraid,  is  hurt  mortally,  and,  presuming  on 
your  hospitality,  I  have  brought  him  to  your  door. 

"I  am  happy,  sir,  that  you  have  done  so      said  Mr. 
Wharton,  at  once  perceiving  the  importance  of  concil 
ing  the  American  troops;   "the  necessitous  are  alw, 
welcome,  and  doubly  so,  in  being  the  friend  of  Major 

"Sir-  /thank  you  for  myself,  and  in  behalf  of  him  who 
is  unable  to  render  you  his  thanks,"  returned  ttjeottg 
hastily;  "if  you  please,  we  will  have  *** 

where  the  surgeon  may  see  and  report  upor 
out  delay."     To  this  there  could 


98  THE   SPY 

Frances  felt  a  chill  at  her  heart,  as  her  lover  withdrew, 
without  casting  a  solitary  look  on  herself. 

There  is  a  devotedness  in  female  love  that  admits  of  no 
rivalry.  All  the  tenderness  of  the  heart,  all  the  powers 
of  the  imagination,  are  enlisted  in  behalf  of  the  tyrant 
passion;  and  where  all  is  given,  much  is  looked  for  in 
return.  Frances  had  spent  hours  of  anguish,  of  torture, 
on  account  of  Dunwoodie,  and  he  now  met  her  without  a 
smile,  and  left  her  without  a  greeting.  The  ardor  of  her 
feelings  was  unabated,  but  the  elasticity  of  her  hopes 
was  weakened.  As  the  supporters  of  the  nearly  lifeless 
body  of  Dunwoodie's  friend  passed  her,  on  their  way  to 
the  apartment  prepared  for  his  reception,  she  caught  a 
view  of  this  seeming  rival. 

His  pale  and  ghastly  countenance,  sunken  eye,  and  diffi 
cult  breathing,  gave  her  a  glimpse  of  death  in  its  most 
fearful  form.  Dunwoodie  was  by  his  side,  and  held  his 
hand,  giving  frequent  and  stern  injunctions  to  the  men  to 
proceed  with  care,  and,  in  short,  manifesting  all  the 
solicitude  that  the  most  tender  friendship  could,  on  such 
an  occasion,  inspire.  Frances  moved  lightly  before  them, 
and,  with  an  averted  face,  she  held  open  the  door  for 
their  passage  to  the  bed;  it  was  only  as  the  major  touched 
her  garments,  on  entering  the  room,  that  she  ventured  to 
raise  her  mild  blue  eyes  to  his  face.  But  the  glance  was 
unreturned,  and  Frances  unconsciously  sighed  as  she 
sought  the  solitude  of  her  own  apartment. 

Captain  Wharton  voluntarily  gave  a  pledge  to  his 
keepers  not  to  attempt  again  escaping,  and  then  pro 
ceeded  to  execute  those  duties  on  behalf  of  his  father, 
which  were  thought  necessary  in  a  host.  On  entering  the 
passage  for  that  purpose,  he  met  the  operator  who  had  so 
dexterously  dressed  his  arm,  advancing  to  the  room  of 
the  wounded  officer. 

"Ah!"  cried  the  disciple  of  ^Esculapius,  "I  see  you 
are  doing  well;  but  stop — have  you  a  pin?  No!  here,  I 
have  one;  you  must  keep  the  cold  air  from  your  hurt,  or 
some  of  the  youngsters  will  be  at  work  at  you  yet." 

"God  forbid,"  muttered  the  captain,  in  an  undertone, 
attentively  adjusting  the  bandages,  when  Dunwoodie 
appeared  at  the  door,  impatiently  crying  aloud: 


THE  SPY  99 

"Hasten,  Sitgreaves,  hasten;  or  George  Singleton  will 
die  from  loss  of  blood." 

"What!  Singleton!  God  forbid!  Bless  me— is  it 
George — poor  little  George?"  exclaimed  the  surgeon,  as 
he  quickened  his  pace  with  evident  concern,  and  hastened 
to  the  side  of  the  bed;  "he  is  alive,  though,  and  while 
there  is  life  there  is  hope.  This  is  the  first  serious  case 
I  have  had  to-day,  where  the  patient  was  not  already 
dead.  Captain  Lawton  teaches  his  men  to  strike  with  so 
little  discretion — poor  George — bless  me,  it  is  a  musket 
bullet." 

The  youthful  sufferer  turned  his  eyes  on  the  man  of 
science,  and  with  a  faint  smile  endeavored  to  stretch 
forth  his  hand.  There  was  an  appeal  in  the  look  and 
action  that  touched  the  heart  of  the  operator.  The  sur 
geon  removed  his  spectacles  to  wipe  an  unusual  moisture 
from  his  eyes,  and  proceeded  carefully  to  the  discharge 
of  his  duty.  While  the  previous  arrangements  were, 
however,  making,  he  gave  vent  in  some  measure  to  his 
feelings,  by  saying: 

"When  it  is  only  a  bullet,  I  have  always  some  hopes; 
there  is  a  chance  that  it  hits  nothing  vital;  but,  bless  me, 
Captain  Lawton's  men  cut  so  at  random — generally  sever 
the  jugular  or  the  carotid  artery,  or  let  out  the  brains, 
and  all  are  so  difficult  to  remedy— the  patient  mostly  dying 
before  one  can  get  at  him.  I  never  had  success  but  once 
in  replacing  a  man's  brains,  although  I  have  tried  three 
this  very  day.  It  is  easy  to  tell  where  Lawton's  troops 
charge  in  a  battle,  they  cut  so  at  random." 

The  group  around  the  bed  of  Captain  Singleton  were 
too  much  accustomed  to  the  manner  of  their  surgeon  t< 
regard   or   to   reply  to  his  soliloquy;  but  they  qui 
awaited  the  moment  when  he  was  to  commence  h 
nation.     This  now  took  place,  and  Dunwoodie  stood  , 
ing   the   operator  in  the  face,  with  an  expression  1 
seemed  to  read  his  soul.     The  patient  shrunk  from  t 
application   of  the  probe,   and   a  smile  stole  over 
features  of  the  surgeon,  as  he  muttered: 

"There  has  been  nothing  before  it  in  that  qua;  ei 
He  now  applied  himself  in  earnest  to  his  work 
his  spectacles,  and  threw  aside  his  wig.     All 


100  THE   SPY 

Dunwoodie  stood  in  feverish  silence,  holding  one  of  the 
hands  of  the  sufferer  in  both  his  own,  watching  the  coun 
tenance  of  Doctor  Sitgreaves.  At  length  Singleton  gave 
a  slight  groan,  and  the  surgeon  rose  with  alacrity,  and 
said  aloud: 

"Ah!  there  is  some  pleasure  in  following  a  bullet;  it 
may  be  said  to  meander  through  the  human  body,  injur 
ing  nothing  vital;  but  as  for  Captain  Lawton's  men — 

"Speak,"  interrupted  Dunwoodie;  "is  there  hope? — 
can  you  find  the  ball?" 

"It's  no  difficult  matter  to  find  that  which  one  has  in 
his  hand,  Major  Dunwoodie,"  replied  the  surgeon,  coolly, 
preparing  his  dressings;  "it  took  what  that  literal  fellow, 
Captain  Lawton,  calls  a  circumbendibus,  a  route  never 
taken  by  the  swords  of  his  men,  notwithstanding  the  mul 
tiplied  pains  I  have  been  at  to  teach  him  how  to  cut 
scientifically.  Now,  I  saw  a  horse  this  day  with  his  head 
half  severed  from  his  body." 

"That,"  said  Dunwoodie,  as  the  blood  rushed  to  his 
cheeks  again,  and  his  dark  eyes  sparkled  with  the  rays  of 
hope,  "was  some  of  my  handiwork;  I  killed  that  horse 
myself. ' ' 

"You!"  exclaimed  the  surgeon,  dropping  his  dressings 
in  surprise,  "you!  but  you  knew  it  was  a  horse!" 

"I  had  such  suspicions,  I  own,"  said  the  major,  smil 
ing,  and  holding  a  beverage  to  the  lips  of  his  friend. 

"Such  blows  alighting  on  the  human  frame  are  fatal," 
continued  the  doctor,  pursuing  his  business;  "they  set  at 
naught  the  benefits  which  flow  from  the  lights  of 
science;  they  are  useless  in  a  battle,  for  disabling  your 
foe  is  all  that  is  required.  I  have  sat,  Major  Dunwoodie, 
many  a  cold  hour,  while  Captain  Lawton  has  been 
engaged,  and  after  all  my  expectation  not  a  single  case 
worth  recording  has  occurred — all  scratches  or  death- 
wounds;  ah!  the  sabre  is  a  sad  weapon  in  unskilful  hands! 
Yes,  Major  Dunwoodie,  many  are  the  hours  I  have  thrown 
away  in  endeavoring  to  impress  this  truth  on  Captain 
John  Lawton." 

The  impatient  major  pointed  silently  to  his  friend,  and 
the  surgeon  quickened  his  movements. 

"Ah!  poor  George,  it  is  a  narrow  chance;  but" — he 


THE  SPY  101 

was  interrupted  by  a  messenger  requiring  the  presence  of 
the  commanding  officer  in  the  field.  Dunwoodie  pressed 
the  hand  of  his  friend,  and  beckoned  the  doctor  to  follow 
him,  as  he  withdrew. 

"What  think  you?"  he  whispered,  on  reaching  the  pas 
sage;  "will  he  live?" 

"He  will." 

"Thank  God!"  cried  the  youth,  hastening  below. 

Dunwoodie  for  a  moment  joined  the  family,  who  were 
now  collecting  in  the  ordinary  parlor.  His  face  was  no 
longer  wanting  in  smiles,  and  his  salutations,  though 
hasty,  were  cordial.  He  took  no  notice  of  the  escape  and 
recapture  of  Henry  Wharton,  but  seemed  to  think  the 
young  man  had  continued  where  he  had  left  him  before 
the  encounter.  On  the  ground  they  had  not  met.  The 
English  officer  withdrew  in  haughty  silence  to  a  window, 
leaving  the  major  uninterrupted  to  make  his  communi 
cations. 

The  excitement  produced  by  the  events  of  the  day  in 
the  youthful  feelings  of  the  sisters,  had  been  succeeded 
by  a  languor  that  kept  them  both  silent,  and  Dunwoodie 
held  his  discourse  with  Miss  Peyton. 

"Is  there  any  hope,  my  cousin,  that  your  friend  can 
survive  his  wound?"  said  the  lady,  advancing  towards 
her  kinsman,  with  a  smile  of  benevolent  regard. 

"Everything,  my  dear  madam,  everything,"  answerec 
the  soldier,  cheerfully.     "Sitgreaves  says  he  will 
and  he  has  never  deceived  me." 

"Your  pleasure  is  not  much  greater  than  my  own  a' 
this  intelligence.  One  so  dear  to  Major  Dunwoodie  can 
not  fail  to  excite  an  interest  in  the  bosom  of  his  fnen< 

"Say  one  so  deservedly  dear,  madam,"  returnc 
major,  with  warmth:  "he  is  the  beneficent  spirit 
corps,  equally  beloved  by  us  all;  so  mild    so  equal    s 
just,  so  generous,  with  the  meekness  of  a  lamb 
fondness  of  a  dove-it  is  only  in  the  hour  of  battl 
Singleton  is  a  lion."  .,  . 

"You  speak  of  him  as  if  he  were  your  mistress,  Ma 
Dunwoodie,"  observed  the  smiling  spinster,  glancn 
eye  at  her  niece,  who  sat  pale  and  listening,  in  a  c< 
of  the  room. 


102  THE   SPY 

"I  love  him  as  one,"  cried  the  excited  youth;  "but  he 
requires  care  and  nursing;  all  now  depends  on  the  atten 
tion  he  receives." 

"Trust  me,  sir,  he  will  want  for  nothing  under  this 
roof." 

"Pardon  me,  dear  madam;  you  are  all  that  is  benevo 
lent,  but  Singleton  requires  a  care  which  many  men 
would  feel  to  be  irksome.  It  is  at  moments  like  these, 
and  in  sufferings  like  this,  that  the  soldier  most  finds  the 
want  of  female  tenderness. "  As  he  spoke,  he  turned  his 
eyes  on  Frances  with  an  expression  that  again  thrilled  to 
the  heart  of  his  mistress;  she  rose  from  her  seat  with 
burning  cheeks,  and  said: 

"All  the  attention  that  can  with  propriety  be  given  to 
a  stranger,  will  be  cheerfully  bestowed  on  your  friend." 

"Ah!"  cried  the  major,  shaking  his  head,  "that  cold 
word  propriety  will  kill  him;  he  must  be  fostered,  cher 
ished,  soothed." 

"These  are  offices  for  a  sister  or  a  wife." 

"A  sister!"  repeated  the  soldier,  the  blood  rushing  to 
his  own  face  tumultuously;  "a  sister!  he  has  a  sister; 
and  one  that  might  be  here  with  to-morrow's  sun."  He 
paused,  mused  in  silence,  glanced  his  eyes  uneasily  at 
Frances,  and  muttered  in  an  undertone,  "Singleton  re 
quires  it,  and  it  must  be  done." 

The  ladies  had  watched  his  varying  countenance  in 
some  surprise,  and  Miss  Peyton  now  observed  that: 

"If  there  were  a  sister  of  Captain  Singleton  near  them, 
her  presence  would  be  gladly  requested  both  by  herself 
and  nieces." 

"It  must  be,  madam;  it  cannot  well  be  otherwise," 
replied  Dunwoodie,  with  a  hesitation  that  but  ill-agreed 
with  his  former  declarations;  "she  shall  be  sent  for 
express  this  very  night."  And  then,  as  if  willing  to 
change  the  subject,  he  approached  Captain  Wharton,  and 
continued,  mildly: 

"Henry  Wharton,  to  me  honor  is  dearer  than  life,  but 
in  your  hands  I  know  it  can  safely  be  confided ;  remain 
here  unwatched,  until  we  leave  the  county,  which  will 
not  be  for  some  days. ' ' 

The  distance  in  the  manner  of  the  English  officer  van- 


THE  SPY  103 

ished,  and  taking  the  offered  hand  of  the  other,  he  replied 
with  warmth:  "Your  generous  confidence,  Peyton  will 
not  be  abused,  even  though  the  gibbet  on  which  your 
Washington  hung  Andre  be  ready  for  my  own  execu 
tion." 

"Henry,  Henry  Wharton,"  said  Dunwoodie,  reproach 
fully,  "you  little  know  the  man  who  leads  our  armies,  or 
you  would  have  spared  him  that  reproach;  but  duty  calls 
me  without.  I  leave  you  where  I  could  wish  to  stay 
myself,  and  where  you  cannot  be  wholly  unhappy." 

In  passing  Frances,  she  received  another  of  those  smil 
ing  looks  of  affection  which  she  so  much  prized,  and  for  a 
season  the  impression  made  by  his  appearance  after  the 
battle  was  forgotten. 

Among  the  veterans  that  had  been  impelled  by  the 
times  to  abandon  the  quiet  of  age  for  the  service  of  their 
country,  was  Colonel  Singleton.  He  was  a  native  of 
Georgia,  and  had  been  for  the  earlier  years  of  his  life  a 
soldier  by  profession.  When  the  struggle  for  liberty 
commenced,  he  offered  his  services  to  his  country,  and 
from  respect  to  his  character  they  had  been  accepted. 
His  years  and  health  had,  however,  prevented  his  discharg 
ing  the  active  duties  of  the  field,  and  he  had  been  kept  in 
command  of  different  posts  of  trust,  where  his  country 
might  receive  the  benefits  of  his  vigilance  and  fidelity 
without  inconvenience  to  himself.  For  the  last  year  he 
had  been  intrusted  with  the  passes  into  the  Highlands, 
and  was  now  quartered,  with  his  daughter,  but  a  short 
day's  march  above  the  valley  where  Dunwoodie  had  met 
the  enemy.  His  only  other  child  was  the  wounded  officer 
we  have  mentioned.  Thither,  then,  the  major  prepared  to 
despatch  a  messenger  with  the  unhappy  news  of  the  cap 
tain's  situation,  and  charged  with  such  an  invitation 
from  the  ladies  as  he  did  not  doubt  would  speedily  bring 
the  sister  to  the  couch  of  her  brother. 

This  duty  performed,  though  with  an  unwillingness  that 
only  could  make  his  former  anxiety  more  perplexing,  Dun 
woodie  proceeded  to  the  field  where  his  troops  had  halte 
The  remnant  of  the  English  were  already  to  be  seen,  over 
the  tops  of  the  trees,  marching  along  the  heights  towar 
their  boats,  in  compact  order  and  with  great  watchful- 


104  THE  SPY 

ness.  The  detachment  of  the  dragoons  under  Lawton 
were  a  short  distance  on  their  flank,  eagerly  awaiting  a 
favorable  moment  to  strike  a  blow.  In  this  manner  both 
parties  were  soon  lost  to  view. 

A  short  distance  above  the  Locusts  was  a  small  hamlet 
where  several  roads  intersected  each  other,  and  from 
which,  consequently,  access  to  the  surrounding  country 
was  easy.  It  was  a  favorite  halting-place  of  the  horse, 
and  frequently  held  by  the  light  parties  of  the  American 
army  during  their  excursions  below.  Dunwoodie  had 
been  the  first  to  discover  its  advantages,  and  as  it  was 
necessary  for  him  to  remain  in  the  county  until  further 
orders  from  above,  it  cannot  be  supposed  he  overlooked 
them  now.  To  this  place  the  troops  were  directed  to 
retire,  carrying  with  them  their  wounded;  parties  were 
already  employed  in  the  sad  duty  of  interring  the  dead. 
In  making  these  arrangements,  a  new  object  of  embarrass 
ment  presented  itself  to  our  young  soldier.  In  moving 
through  the  field,  he  was  struck  with  the  appearance  of 
Colonel  Wellmere,  seated  by  himself,  brooding  over  his 
misfortunes,  uninterrupted  by  anything  but  the  passing 
civilities  of  the  American  officers.  His  anxiety  on  behalf 
of  Singleton  had  hitherto  banished  the  recollection  of  his 
captive  from  the  mind  of  Dunwoodie,  and  he  now  ap 
proached  him  with  apologies  for  his  neglect.  The  Eng 
lishman  received  his  courtesies  with  coolness,  and  com 
plained  of  being  injured  by  what  he  affected  to  think  was 
the  accidental  stumbling  of  his  horse.  Dunwoodie,  who 
had  seen  one  of  his  own  men  ride  him  down,  and  that 
with  very  little  ceremony,  slightly  smiled,  as  he  offered 
him  surgical  assistance.  This  could  only  be  procured  at 
the  cottage,  and  thither  they  both  proceeded. 

"Colonel  Wellmere!"  cried  young  Wharton  in  astonish 
ment  as  they  entered,  "has  the  fortune  of  war  been  thus 
cruel  to  you  also? — but  you  are  welcome  to  the  house  of 
my  father,  although  I  could  wish  the  introduction  to  have 
taken  place  under  more  happy  circumstances." 

Mr.  Wharton  received  this  new  guest  with  the  guarded 
caution  that  distinguished  his  manner,  and  Dunwoodie 
left  the  room  to  seek  the  bedside  of  his  friend.  Every 
thing  here  looked  propitious,  and  he  acquainted  the  sur- 


THE  SPY  105 

geon  that  another  patient  waited  his  skill  in  the  room 
below.  _  The  sound  of  the  word  was  enough  to  set  the 
doctor  in  motion,  and  seizing  his  implements  of  office,  he 
went  in  quest  of  this  new  applicant.  At  the  door  of  the 
parlor  he  was  met  by  the  ladies,  who  were  retiring. 
Miss  Peyton  detained  him  for  a  moment,  to  inquire  into 
the  welfare  of  Captain  Singleton.  Frances  smiled  with 
something  of  her  natural  archness  of  manner,  as  she  con 
templated  the  grotesque  appearance  of  the  baldheaded 
practitioner;  but  Sarah  was  too  much  agitated,  with  the 
surprise  of  the  unexpected  interview  with  the  British 
colonel,  to  observe  him.  It  has  already  been  intimated 
that  Colonel  Wellmere  was  an  old  acquaintance  of  the 
family.  Sarah  had  been  so  long  absent  from  the  city, 
that  she  had  in  some  measure  been  banished  from  the 
remembrance  of  the  gentleman;  but  the  recollections  of 
Sarah  were  more  vivid.  There  is  a  period  in  the  life  of 
every  woman  when  she  may  be  said  to  be  predisposed  to 
love;  it  is  at  the  happy  age  when  infancy  is  lost  in  opening 
maturity — when  the  guileless  heart  beats  with  those  an 
ticipations  of  life  which  the  truth  can  never  realize — and 
when  the  imagination  forms  images  of  perfection  that 
are  copied  after  its  own  unsullied  visions.  At  this  happy 
age  Sarah  left  the  city,  and  she  had  brought  with  her  a 
picture  of  futurity,  faintly  impressed,  it  is  true,  but 
which  gained  durability  from  her  solitude,  and  in  which 
Wellmere  had  been  placed  in  the  foreground.  The  sur 
prise  of  the  meeting  had  in  some  measure  overpowered 
her,  and  after  receiving  the  salutations  of  the  colonel,  she 
had  risen,  in  compliance  with  a  signal  from  her  observant 
aunt,  to  withdraw. 

"Then,  sir,"  observed  Miss  Peyton,  after  1 
the  surgeon's  account  of  his  young  patient,  "we  may  be 
flattered  with  the  expectation  that  he  will  recover. 

"'Tis  certain,  madam,"  returned  the  doctor,  en< 
oring,  out  of  respect  to  the  ladies,  to  replace  his  wig 
"'tis  certain,  with  care  and  good  nursing." 

"In  those  he  shall  not  be  wanting,"  said  the  sninsfc 
mildly.     "Everything  we  have  he  can  command, 
Major    Dunwoodie  has  despatched   an   expres 
sister. ' ' 


106  THE  SPY 

"His  sister!"  echoed  the  practitioner,  with  a  look  of 
particular  meaning;  "if  the  major  has  sent  for  her,  she 
will  come." 

"Her  brother's  danger  would  induce  her,  one  would 
imagine." 

"No  doubt,  madam,"  continued  the  doctor,  laconically, 
bowing  low,  and  giving  room  to  the  ladies  to  pass.  The 
words  and  the  manner  were  not  lost  on  the  younger  sister, 
in  whose  presence  the  name  of  Dun  wood  ie  was  never 
mentioned  unheeded. 

"Sir,"  cried  Dr.  Sitgreaves,  on  entering  the  parlor, 
addressing  himself  to  the  only  coat  of  scarlet  in  the  room, 
"I  am  advised  you  are  in  want  of  my  aid.  God  send  'tis 
not  Captain  Lawton  with  whom  you  came  in  contact,  in 
which  case  I  may  be  too  late." 

"There  must  be  some  mistake,  sir,"  said  Wellmere, 
haughtily:  "it  was  a  surgeon  that  Major  Dunwoodie  was 
to  send  me,  and  not  an  old  woman. ' ' 

"'Tis  Dr.  Sitgreaves,"  said  Henry  Wharton,  quickly, 
though  with  difficulty  suppressing  a  laugh;  "the  multi 
tude  of  his  engagements,  to-day,  has  prevented  his  usual 
attention  to  his  attire." 

"Your  pardon,  sir,"  added  Wellmere,  very  ungraciously 
proceeding  to  lay  aside  his  coat,  and  exhibit  what  he 
called  a  wounded  arm. 

"If,  sir,"  said  the  surgeon,  dryly,  "the  degrees  of 
Edinburgh — walking  your  London  hospitals — amputating 
some  hundreds  of  limbs — operating  on  the  human  frame 
in  every  shape  that  is  warranted  by  the  lights  of  science, 
a  clear  conscience,  and  the  commission  of  the  Continental 
Congress,  can  make  a  surgeon,  I  am  one. ' ' 

"Your  pardon,  sir,"  repeated  the  colonel,  stiffly. 
"Captain  Wharton  has  accounted  for  my  error." 

"For  which  I  thank  Captain  Wharton, "  said  the  sur 
geon,  proceeding  coolly  to  arrange  his  amputating  instru 
ments,  with  a  formality  that  made  the  colonel's  blood  run 
cold.  "Where  are  you  hurt,  sir?  What!  is  it  then  this 
scratch  in  your  shoulder?  In  what  manner  might  you 
have  received  this  wound,  sir?" 

"From  the  sword  of  a  rebel  dragoon,"  said  the  colonel, 
with  emphasis. 


THE  SPY  107 

"Never.  Even  the  gentle  George  Singleton  would  not 
have  breathed  on  you  so  harmlessly."  He  took  a  piece 
of  sticking-plaster  from  his  pocket,  and  applied  it  to  the 
part.  "There,  sir;  that  will  answer  your  purpose,  and  I 
am  certain  it  is  all  that  is  required  of  me." 

"What  do  you  take  to  be  my  purpose,  then,  sir?" 

"To  report  yourself  wounded  in  your  despatches," 
replied  the  doctor,  with  great  steadiness;  "and  you  may 
say  that  an  old  woman  dressed  your  hurts — for  if  one  did 
not,  one  easily  might!" 

"Very  extraordinary  language,"  muttered  the  English 
man. 

Here  Captain  Wharton  interfered;  and,  by  explaining 
the  mistake  of  Colonel  Wellmereto  proceed  from  his  irri 
tated  mind  and  pain  of  body,  he  in  part  succeeded  in 
mollifying  the  insulted  practitioner,  who  consented  to 
look  further  into  the  hurts  of  the  other.  They  were 
chiefly  bruises  from  his  fall,  to  which  Sitgreaves  made 
some  hasty  applications,  and  withdrew. 

The  horse,  having  taken  their  required  refreshment, 
prepared  to  fall  back  to  their  intended  position,  and  it 
became  incumbent  on  Dunwoodie  to  arrange  the  disposal 
of  his  prisoners.  Sitgreaves  he  determined  to  leave  in 
the  cottage  of  Mr.  Wharton,  in  attendance  on  Captain 
Singleton.  Henry  came  to  him  with  a  request  that  Colo 
nel  Wellmere  might  also  be  left  behind,  under  his  parole, 
until  the  troops  marched  higher  into  the  country.  To 
this  the  major  cheerfully  assented;  and  as  all  the  rest  of 
the  prisoners  were  of  the  vulgar  herd,  they  were  speedily 
collected,  and,  under  the  care  of  a  strong  guard,  ordered 
to  the  interior.  The  dragoons  soon  after  marched;  and 
the  guides,  separating  in  small  parties,  accompanied  by 
patrols  from  the  horse,  spread  themselves  across  the 
country,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  a  chain  of  sentinels 
from  the  waters  of  the  Sound  to  those  of  the  Hudson.1 

Dunwoodie  had  lingered  in  front  of  the  cottage,  after 
he  paid  his  parting  compliments,  with  an  unwillingness 
to  return,  that  he  thought  proceeded  from  his  solic 

iThe  scene  of  this  tele  is  between  these  two  water*  which  art,  but  •  f«w 
miles  from  each  other. 


108  THE   SPY 

for  his  wounded  friends.  The  heart  which  has  not  be 
come  callous,  soon  sickens  with  the  glory  that  has  been 
purchased  with  a  waste  of  human  life.  Peyton  Dun- 
woodie,  left  to  himself,  and  no  longer  excited  by  the 
visions  which  youthful  ardor  had  kept  before  him 
throughout  the  day,  began  to  feel  there  were  other  ties 
than  those  which  bound  the  soldier  within  the  rigid  rules 
of  honor.  He  did  not  waver  in  his  duty,  yet  he  felt  how 
strong  was  the  temptation.  His  blood  had  ceased  to  flow 
with  the  impulse  created  by  the  battle.  The  stern  ex 
pression  of  his  eye  gradually  gave  place  to  a  look  of  soft 
ness;  and  his  reflections  on  the  victory  brought  with  them 
no  satisfaction  that  compensated  for  the  sacrifices  by 
which  it  had  been  purchased.  While  turning  his  last  lin 
gering  gaze  on  the  Locusts,  he  remembered  only  that  it 
contained  all  that  he  most  valued.  The  friend  of  his 
youth  was  a  prisoner,  under  circumstances  that  endan 
gered  both  life  and  honor.  The  gentle  companion  of  his 
toils,  who  could  throw  around  the  rude  enjoyments  of  a 
soldier  the  graceful  mildness  of  peace,  lay  a  bleeding 
victim  to  his  success.  The  image  of  the  maid  who  had 
held,  during  the  day,  a  disputed  sovereignty  in  his 
bosom,  again  rose  to  his  view  with  a  loveliness  that 
banished  her  rival,  glory,  from  his  mind. 

The  last  lagging  trooper  of  the  corps  had  already  dis 
appeared  behind  the  northern  hill,  and  the  major  unwill 
ingly  turned  his  horse  in  the  same  direction.  Frances, 
impelled  by  a  restless  inquietude,  now  timidly  ventured 
on  the  piazza  of  the  cottage.  The  day  had  been  mild  and 
clear,  and  the  sun  was  shining  brightly  in  a  cloudless 
sky.  The  tumult,  which  so  lately  disturbed  the  valley, 
was  succeeded  by  the  stillness  of  death,  and  the  fair 
scene  before  her  looked  as  if  it  had  never  been  marred  by 
the  passions  of  men.  One  solitary  cloud,  the  collected 
smoke  of  the  contest,  hung  over  the  field ;  and  this  was 
gradually  dispersing,  leaving  no  vestige  of  the  conflict 
above  the  peaceful  graves  of  its  victims.  All  the  con 
flicting  feelings,  all  the  tumultuous  circumstances  of  the 
eventful  day,  appeared  like  the  deceptions  of  a  troubled 
vision.  Frances  turned,  and  caught  a  glimpse  of  the 
retreating  figure  of  him  who  had  been  so  conspicuous  an 


THE  SPY  109 

actor  in  the  scene,  and  the  illusion  vanished.  She  recog 
nized  her  lover,  and,  with  the  truth,  came  other  recollec 
tions  that  drove  her  to  the  room,  with  a  heart  as  sad  as 
that  which  Dunwoodie  himself  bore  from  the  valley. 


CHAPTER  IX 

"A  moment  gazed  adown  the  dale, 
A  moment  snuffed  the  tainted  gale, 
A  moment  listened  to  the  cry, 
That  thickened  as  the  chase  drew  nigh; 
Then,  as  the  headmost  foe  appeared, 
With  one  brave  bound  the  copse  he  cleared, 
And,  stretching  forward  free  and  far, 
Sought  the  wild  heaths  of  Uam-Var." 

—WALTER  SCOTT. 

THE  party  under  Captain  Lawton  had  watched  the  re 
tiring  foe  to  his  boats  with  the  most  unremitting  vigil 
ance,  without  finding  any  fit  opening  for  a  charge.  The 
experienced  successor  of  Colonel  Wellmere  knew  too  well 
the  power  of  his  enemy  to  leave  the  uneven  surface  of 
the  heights,  until  compelled  to  descend  to  the  level  of  the 
water.  Before  he  attempted  this  hazardous  movement, 
he  threw  his  men  into  a  compact  square,  with  its  outer 
edges  bristling  with  bayonets.  In  this  position,  the  im 
patient  trooper  well  understood  that  brave  men  could 
never  be  assailed  by  cavalry  with  success,  and  he  was 
reluctantly  obliged  to  hover  near  them  without  seeing 
any  opportunity  of  stopping  their  slow  but  steady  march 
to  the  beach.  A  small  schooner,  which  had  been  their 
convoy  from  the  city,  lay  with  her  guns  bearing  on  the 
place  of  embarkation.  Against  this  combination  of  force 
and  discipline,  Lawton  had  sufficient  prudence  to  see  it 
would  be  folly  to  contend,  and  the  English  were  suffered 
to  embark  without  molestation.  The  dragoons  lingered 
on  the  shore  till  the  last  moment,  and  then  they  reluct 
antly  commenced  their  own  retreat  back  to  the  main  body 
of  the  corps. 

The  gathering  mists  of  the  evening  had  begun  to  darken 
the  valley,  as  the  detachment  of  Lawton  made  its  reap 
pearance,  at  its  southern  extremity.  The  march  of  the 
troops  was  slow,  and  their  line  extended  for  the  benefit 
of  ease.  In  the  front  rode  the  captain,  side  by  side  with 

110 


THE  SPY  1U 


PnwHl  SU^aItern'  ^Parently  engaged  in  close  confer- 
ence,  while  the  rear  was  brought  up  by  a  young  cornet 
humming  an  air,  and  thinking  of  the  sweets  of  a  straw 
bed  after  the  fatigues  of  a  hard  day's  duty 

"Then  it  struck  you  too?"  said  the  captain  "The  in 
stant  I  placed  my  eyes  on  her  I  remembered  the  face-  it 
is  one  not  easily  forgotten.  By  my  faith,  Tom,  the  girl 
does  no  discredit  to  the  major's  taste." 

"She  would  do  honor  to  the  corps,"  replied  the  lieu 
tenant,  with  some  warmth;  "those  blue  eyes  might 
easily  win  a  man  to  gentler  employment  than  this  trade 
of  ours.  In  sober  truth,  I  can  easily  imagine  such  a  girl 
might  tempt  even  me  to  quit  the  broadsword  and  saddle, 
for  a  darning-needle  and  pillion." 

"Mutiny,  sir,  mutiny,"  cried  the  other,  laughing; 
"what,  you,  Tom  Mason,  dare  to  rival  the  gay,  admired, 
and  withal  the  rich,  Major  Dunwoodie  in  his  love!  You, 
a  lieutenant  of  cavalry,  with  but  one  horse,  and  he  none 
of  the  best!  whose  captain  is  as  tough  as  a  pepperidge 
log,  and  has  as  many  lives  as  a  cat!" 

"Faith,"  said  the  subaltern,  smiling  in  his  turn,  "the 
log  may  yet  be  split,  and  Grimalkin  lose  his  lives,  if  you 
often  charge  as  madly  as  you  did  this  morning.  What 
think  you  of  many  raps  from  such  a  beetle  as  laid  you  on 
your  back  to-day?" 

"Ah!   don't  mention    it,  my   good  Tom;  the  thought 
makes  my  head  ache,"  replied  the  other,  shrugging  up 
his  shoulders;  "it  is  what  I  call  forestalling  night." 
"The  night  of  death?" 

"No,  sir,  the  night  that  follows  day.  I  saw  myriads 
of  stars,  things  which  should  hide  their  faces  in  the  pres 
ence  of  the  lordly  sun.  I  do  think  nothing  but  this  thick 
cap  saved  me  for  your  comfort  a  little  longer,  maugrethe 
cat's  lives." 

"I  have  much  reason  to  be  obliged  to  the  cap,"  said 
Mason,  dryly;  "that  or  the  skull  must  have  had  a  reason 
able  portion  of  thickness,  I  admit." 

"Come,  come,  Tom,  you  are  a  licensed  joker,  so  I 
not  feign  anger  with  you,"  returned  the  captain,  good- 
humoredly;  "but  Singleton's  lieutenant,  I   am   fearful, 
will  fare  better  than  yourself  for  this  day's  service." 


112  THE   SPY 

"I  believe  both  of  us  will  be  spared  the  pain  of  receiv 
ing  promotion  purchased  by  the  death  of  a  comrade  and 
friend,"  observed  Mason,  kindly;  "it  was  reported  that 
Sitgreaves  said  he  would  live." 

"From  my  soul  I  hope  so,"  exclaimed  Lawton:  "for  a 
beardless  face,  that  boy  carries  the  stoutest  heart  I  have 
ever  met  with.  It  surprises  me,  however,  that,  as  we 
both  fell  at  the  same  instant,  the  men  behaved  so  well." 

"For  the  compliment,  I  might  thank  you,"  cried  the 
lieutenant  with  a  laugh;  "but  modesty  forbids;  I  did  my 
best  to  stop  them,  but  without  success. ' ' 

"Stop  them!"  roared  the  captain;  "would  you  stop 
men  in  the  middle  of  a  charge?" 

"I  thought  they  were  going  the  wrong  way,"  answered 
the  subaltern. 

"Ah!  our  fall  drove  them  to  the  right  about?" 

"It  was  either  your  fall,  or  apprehensions  of  their 
own;  until  the  major  rallied  us,  we  were  in  admirable 
disorder." 

"Dunwoodie!  the  major  was  on  the  crupper  of  the 
Dutchman." 

"Ah!  but  he  managed  to  get  off  the  crupper  of  the 
Dutchman.  He  came  in,  at  half-speed,  with  the  other 
two  troops,  and  riding  between  us  and  the  enemy,  with 
that  imperative  way  he  has  when  roused,  brought  us  in 
line  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  Then  it  was,"  added 
the  lieutenant,  with  animation,  "that  we  sent  John  Bull 
to  the  bushes.  Oh !  it  was  a  sweet  charge — heads  and 
tails,  until  we  were  upon  them." 

"The  devil !     What  a  sight  I  missed !" 

"You  slept  through  it  all." 

"Yes,"  returned  the  other,  with  a  sigh;  "it  was  all 
lost  to  me  and  poor  George  Singleton.  But,  Tom,  what 
will  George's  sister  say  to  this  fair-haired  maiden,  in  yon 
der  white  building?" 

"Hang herself  in  her  garters,"  said  the  subaltern.  "I 
owe  a  proper  respect  to  my  superiors,  but  two  such  angels 
are  more  than  justly  falls  to  the  share  of  one  man,  unless 
he  be  a  Turk  or  a  Hindoo." 

"Yes,  yes,"  said  the  captain,  quickly,  "the  major  is 
ever  preaching  morality  to  the  youngsters,  but  he  is  a 


THE  SPY  113 

sly  fellow  in  the  main.  Do  you  observe  how  fond  he  is 
of  the  cross  roads  above  this  valley?  Now,  if  I  were  to 
halt  the  troops  twice  in  the  same  place,  you  would  all 
swear  there  was  a  petticoat  in  the  wind." 

"You  are  well  known  to  the  corps." 

"Well,  Tom,  a  slanderous  propensity  is  incurable— 
but,"  stretching  forward  his  body  in  the  direction  he  was 
gazing,  as  if  to  aid  him  in  distinguishing  objects  through 
the  darkness,  "what  animal  is  moving  through  the  field 
on  our  right?" 

"Tis  a  man,"  said    Mason,    looking  intently  at  the 
suspicious  object. 

"By  his  hump  'tis  a  dromedary!"  added  the  captain, 
eying  it  keenly.  Wheeling  his  horse  suddenly  from  the 
highway,  he  exclaimed,  "Harvey  Birch! — take  him,  dead 
or  alive!" 

Mason  and  a  few  of  the  leading  dragoons  only  under 
stood  the  sudden  cry,  but  it  was  heard  throughout  the 
line.  A  dozen  of  the  men,  with  the  lieutenant  at  their 
head,  followed  the  impetuous  Lawton,  and  their  speed 
threatened  the  pursued  with  a  sudden  termination  of  the 
race. 

Birch  prudently  kept  his  position  on  the  rock,  where 
he  had  been  seen  by  the  passing  glance  of  Henry  Whar- 
ton,  until  evening  had  begun  to  shroud  the  surrounding 
objects  in  darkness.     From  this  height  he  had  seen  all 
the  events  of  the  day,  as  they  occurred.     He  had  watched, 
with  a  beating  heart,  the  departure  of  the  troops  under 
Dunwoodie,  and  with  difficulty  had  curbed  his  impatience 
until   the  obscurity  of  night  should  render  his  moving 
free  from  danger.     He  had  not,  however,  completed   a 
fourth  of  his  way  to  his  own  residence,  when  his  quick 
ear  distinguished  the  tread  of  approaching  horse.     Trust 
ing  to  the  increasing  darkness,  he  determined  to  perse 
vere      By  crouching  and  moving  quickly  along  the  sur 
face   of  the  ground,  he  hoped  yet  to  escape   unseen. 
Captain  Lawton  was  too  much  engrossed  with  the  l 
going  conversation  to  suffer  his  eyes  to  indulge  in  theii 
usual   wandering;   and  the  peddler,   perceiving  by  tt 
voices  that  the  enemy  he  most  feared  had  passed  yie 
to   his    impatience,  and   stood   erect,   in  order  to  mak< 


114  THE  SPY 

greater  progress.  The  moment  his  body  arose  above  the 
shadow  of  the  ground,  it  was  seen,  and  the  chase  com 
menced.  For  a  single  instant,  Birch  was  helpless,  his 
blood  curdling  in  his  veins  at  the  imminence  of  the  dan 
ger,  and  his  legs  refusing  their  natural  and  necessary 
office.  But  it  was  only  for  a  moment.  Casting  his  pack 
where  he  stood,  and  instinctively  tightening  the  belt  he 
wore,  the  peddler  betook  himself  to  flight.  He  knew 
that  by  bringing  himself  in  a  line  with  his  pursuers  and 
the  wood,  his  form  would  be  lost  to  sight.  This  he  soon 
effected,  and  he  was  straining  every  nerve  to  gain  the 
wood  itself,  when  several  horsemen  rode  by  him  but  a 
short  distance  en  his  left,  and  cut  him  off  from  this  place 
of  refuge.  The  peddler  threw  himself  on  the  ground  as 
they  came  near  him,  and  was  passed  unseen.  But  delay 
now  became  too  dangerous  for  him  to  remain  in  that 
position.  He  accordingly  arose,  and  still  keeping  in  the 
shadow  of  the  v/ood,  along  the  skirts  of  which  he  heard 
voices  crying  to  each  other  to  be  watchful,  he  ran  with 
incredible  spsed  in  a  parallel  line,  but  in  an  opposite 
direction  to  the  march  of  the  dragoons. 

The  confusion  of  the  chase  had  been  heard  by  the  whole 
of  the  men,  though  none  distinctly  understood  the  order 
of  Lawton  but  those  who  followed.  The  remainder  were 
lost  in  doubt  as  to  the  duty  that  v/as  required  of  them; 
and  the  aforesaid  cornet  was  making  eager  inquiries  of 
the  trooper  near  him  on  the  subject,  when  a  man,  a  short 
distance  in  the  rear,  crossed  the  road  at  a  single  bound. 
At  the  same  instant,  the  stentorian  voice  of  Lawton  rang 
through  the  valley,  shouting: 

"Harvey  Birch — take  him,  dead  or  alive!" 

Fifty  pistols  lighted  the  scene,  and  the  bullets  whistled 
in  every  direction  round  the  head  of  the  devoted  peddler. 
A  feeling  of  despair  seized  his  heart,  and  in  the  bitter 
ness  of  that  moment  he  exclaimed : 

"Hunted  like  a  beast  of  the  forest!" 

He  felt  life  and  its  accompaniments  to  be  a  burden,  and 
was  about  to  yield  himself  to  his  enemies.  Nature,  how 
ever,  prevailed.  If  taken,  there  was  great  reason  to  ap 
prehend  that  he  would  not  be  honored  with  the  forms 
of  a  trial,  but  that  most  probably  the  morning  sun  would 


THE  SPY  115 

witness  his  ignominious  execution;  for  he  had  already 
been  condemned  to  death,  and  had  only  escaped  that  fate 
by  stratagem.  These  considerations,  with  the  approach 
ing  footsteps  of  his  pursuers,  roused  him  to  new  exer 
tions.  He  again  fled  before  them.  A  fragment  of  a 
wall,  that  had  withstood  the  ravages  made  by  war  in  the 
adjoining  fences  of  wood,  fortunately  crossed  his  path. 
He  hardly  had  time  to  throw  his  exhausted  limbs  over 
this  barrier,  before  twenty  of  his  enemies  reached  its 
opposite  side.  Their  horses  refused  to  take  the  leap  in 
the  dark,  and  amid  the  confusion  of  the  rearing  chargers, 
and  the  execrations  of  their  riders,  Birch  was  enabled  to 
gain  a  sight  of  the  base  of  the  hill,  on  whose  summit  was 
a  place  of  perfect  security.  The  heart  of  the  peddler  now 
beat  high  with  hope,  when  the  voice  of  Captain  Lawton 
again  rang  in  his  ears,  shouting  to  his  men  to  make 
room.  The  order  was  obeyed,  and  the  fearless  trooper 
rode  at  the  wall  at  the  top  of  his  horse's  speed,  plunged 
the  rowels  in  his  charger,  and  flew  over  the  obstacle  in 
safety.  The  triumphant  hurrahs  of  the  men,  and  the 
thundering  tread  of  the  horse,  too  plainly  assured  the 
peddler  of  the  emergency  of  his  danger.  He  was  nearly 
exhausted,  and  his  fate  no  longer  seemed  doubtful. 

"Stop,   or  die!"  was  uttered  above  his  head,  and  in 
fearful  proximity  to  his  ears. 

Harvey  stole  a  glance  over  his  shoulder,  and  saw, 
within  a  bound  of  him,  the  man  he  most  dreaded.  By 
the  light  of  the  stars  he  beheld  the  uplifted  arm  and  the 
threatening  sabre.  Fear,  exhaustion,  and  despair,  seized 
his  heart,  and  the  intended  victim  fell  at  the  feet  of  the 
dragoon.  The  horse  of  Lawton  struck  the  prostrate  ped 
dler,  and  both  steed  and  rider  came  violently  to  the  earth. 
As  quick  as  thought,  Birch  was  on  his  feet  again,  with 
the  sword  of  the  discomfited  dragoon  in  his  hand. 
Vengeance  seems  but  too  natural  to  human  passions. 
There  are  few  who  have  not  felt  the  seductive  pleasure  c 
making  our  injuries  recoil  on  their  authors;  and  yet  there 
are  some  who  know  how  much  sweeter  it  is  to  return 
good  for  evil. 

=  All  the  wrongs  of  the  peddler  shone  on  his  brain  wit! 
a  dazzling  brightness.     For  a  moment  the  demon  wit! 


116  THE   SPY 

him  prevailed,  and  Birch  brandished  the  powerful  weapon 
in  the  air;  in  the  next,  it  fell  harmless  on  the  reviving 
but  helpless  trooper.  The  peddler  vanished  up  the  side 
of  the  friendly  rock. 

"Help  Captain  Lawton,  there!"  cried  Mason,  as  he  rode 
up,  followed  by  a  dozen  of  his  men;  "and  some  of  you 
dismount  with  me,  and  search  these  rocks;  the  villain  lies 
here  concealed." 

"Hold!"  roared  the  discomfited  captain,  raising  him 
self  with  difficulty  on  his  feet;  "if  one  of  you  dismount, 
he  dies.  Tom,  my  good  fellow,  you  will  help  me  to 
straddle  Roanoke  again." 

The  astonished  subaltern  complied  in  silence,  while  the 
wondering  dragoons  remained  as  fixed  in  their  saddles  as 
if  they  composed  part  of  the  animals  they  rode. 

"You  are  much  hurt,  I  fear,"  said  Mason,  with  some 
thing  of  condolence  in  his  manner,  as  they  re-entered  the 
highway,  and  biting  off  the  end  of  a  cigar  for  the  want  of 
a  better  quality  of  tobacco. 

"Something  so,  I  do  believe,"  replied  the  captain, 
catching  his  breath,  and  speaking  with  difficulty;  "I  wish 
our  bone-setter  was  at  hand,  to  examine  into  the  state  of 
my  ribs." 

"Sitgreaves  is  left  in  attendance  on  Captain  Singleton, 
at.  the  house  of  Mr.  Wharton." 

"Then  there  I  halt  for  the  night,  Tom.  These  rude 
times  must  abridge  ceremony;  besides,  you  may  remem 
ber  the  old  gentleman  professed  a  kinsman's  regard  for 
the  corps.  I  can  never  think  of  passing  so  good  a  friend 
without  a  halt." 

"And  I  will  lead  the  troop  to  the  Four  Corners;  if  we 
all  halt  there,  we  shall  breed  a  famine  in  the  land." 

"A  condition  I  never  desire  to  be  placed  in.  The  idea 
of  that  graceful  spinster's  cakes  is  no  bad  solace  for 
twenty-four  hours  in  the  hospital." 

"Oh!  you  won't  die  if  you  can  think  of  eating,"  said 
Mason,  with  a  laugh. 

"I  should  surely  die  if  I  could  not,"  observed  the  cap 
tain,  gravely. 

"Captain  Lawton,"  said  the  orderly  of  his  troop,  rid 
ing  to  the  side  of  his  commanding  officer,  "we  are  now 


THE  SPY  117 

passing  the  house  of  the  peddler  spy;  is  it  your  pleasure 
that  we  burn  it?" 

"No!"  roared  the  captain,  in  a  voice  that  startled  the 
disappointed  sergeant;  "are  you  an  incendiary?  would 
you  burn  a  house  in  cold  blood?  let  but  a  spark  approach, 
and  the  hand  that  carries  it  will  never  light  another." 

"Zounds!"  muttered  the  sleepy  cornet  in  the  rear,  as 
he  was  nodding  on  his  horse,  "there  is  life  in  the  cap 
tain,  notwithstanding  his  tumble." 

Lawton  and  Mason  rode  on  in  silence,  the  latter  rumi 
nating  on  the  wonderful  change  produced  in  his  com 
mander  by  his  fall,  when  they  arrived  opposite  to  the 
gate  before  the  residence  of  Mr.  Wharton.  The  troop 
continued  its  march;  but  the  captain  and  his  lieutenant 
dismounted,  and,  followed  by  the  servant  of  the  former, 
they  proceeded  slowly  to  the  door  of  the  cottage. 

Colonel  Wellmere  had  already  sought  a  retreat  in  his 
own  room;  Mr.  Wharton  and  his  son  were  closeted  by 
themselves;  and  the  ladies  were  administering  the  re 
freshments  of  the  tea-table  to  the  surgeon  of  the  dra 
goons,  who  had  seen  one  of  his  patients  in  his  bed,  and 
the  other  happily  enjoying  the  comforts  of  a  sweet  sleep. 
A  few  natural  inquiries  from  Miss  Peyton  had  opened  the 
soul  of  the  doctor,  who  knew  every  individual  of  her  ex 
tensive  family  connection  in  Virginia,  and  who  even 
thought  it  possible  that  he  had  seen  the  lady  herself. 
The  amiable  spinster  smiled  as  she  felt  it  to  be  improbable 
that  she  should  ever  have  met  her  new  acquaintance 
before,  and  not  remember  his  singularities.  It  however 
greatly  relieved  the  embarrassment  of  their  situation, 
and  something  like  a  discourse  was  maintained  between 
them ;  the  nieces  were  only  listeners,  nor  could  the  aunt 
be  said  to  be  much  more. 

"As  I  was  observing,  Miss  Peyton,  it  was  merely  t 
noxious  vapors  of  the  low  lands  that  rendered  the  plant* 
tion  of  your  brother  an  unfit  residence  for  man;  but 
quadrupeds  were — 

"Bless  me,  what's  that?"  said  Miss  Peyton,  turning 
pale  at  the  report  of  the  pistols  fired  at  Birch. 

"It   sounds   prodigiously  like  the  concussion  on   t 
atmosphere  made  by  the  explosion  of  fire-arms,     saic 


118  THE  SPY 

surgeon,  sipping  his  tea  with  great  indifference.  "I 
should  imagine  it  to  be  the  troop  of  Captain  Lawton 
returning,  did  I  not  know  the  captain  never  uses  the 
pistol,  and  that  he  dreadfully  abuses  the  sabre." 

"Merciful  providence!"  exclaimed  the  agitated  maiden, 
"he  would  not  injure  one  with  it,  certainly." 

"Injure!"  repeated  the  other,  quickly:  "it  is  certain 
death,  madam;  the  most  random  blows  imaginable;  all 
that  I  can  say  to  him  will  have  no  effect." 

"But  Captain  Lawton  is  the  officer  we  saw  this  morn 
ing,  and  is  surely  your  friend,"  said  Frances,  hastily, 
observing  her  aunt  to  be  seriously  alarmed. 

"I  find  no  fault  with  his  want  of  friendship;  the  man 
is  well  enough  if  he  would  learn  to  cut  scientifically. 
All  trades,  madam,  ought  to  be  allowed  to  live;  but  what 
is  to  become  of  a  surgeon  if  his  patients  are  dead  before 
he  sees  them!" 

The  doctor  continued  haranguing  on  the  probability 
and  improbability  of  its  being  the  returning  troop,  until 
a  loud  knock  at  the  door  gave  new  alarm  to  the  ladies. 
Instinctively  laying  his  hand  on  a  small  saw,  that  had 
been  his  companion  for  the  whole  day,  in  the  vain  ex 
pectation  of  an  amputation,  the  surgeon,  coolly  assuring 
the  ladies  that  he  would  stand  between  them  and  danger, 
proceeded  in  person  to  answer  the  summons. 

"Captain  Lawton!"  exclaimed  the  surgeon,  as  he  be 
held  the  trooper  leaning  on  the  arm  of  his  subaltern,  and 
with  difficulty  crossing  the  threshold. 

"Ah!  my  dear  bone-setter,  is  it  you?  You  are  here 
very  fortunately  to  inspect  my  carcass;  but  do  lay  aside 
that  rascally  saw!" 

A  few  words  from  Mason  explained  the  nature  and 
manner  of  his  cap  tain's  hurts,  and  Miss  Peyton  cheerfully 
accorded  the  required  accommodations.  While  the  room 
intended  for  the  trooper  was  getting  ready,  and  the  doc 
tor  was  giving  certain  portentous  orders,  the  captain  was 
invited  to  rest  himself  in  the  parlor.  On  the  table  was  a 
dish  of  more  substantial  food  than  ordinarily  adorned  the 
afternoon's  repast,  and  it  soon  caught  the  attention  of 
the  dragoons.  Miss  Peyton,  recollecting  that  they  had 
probably  made  their  only  meal  that  day  at  her  own  table, 


THE  SPY  119 

kindly  invited  them  to  close  it  with  another.  The  offer 
required  no  pressing,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  two  were 
comfortably  seated,  and  engaged  in  an  employment  that 
was  only  interrupted  by  an  occasional  wry  face  from  the 
captain,  who  moved  his  body  in  evident  pain.  These 
interruptions,  however,  interfered  but  little  with  the 
principal  business  in  hand;  and  the  captain  had  got  hap 
pily  through  with  this  important  duty,  before  the  surgeon 
returned  to  announce  all  things  ready  for  his  accommoda 
tion  in  the  room  above  stairs. 

"Eating!"  cried  the  astonished  physician;  "Captain 
Lawton,  do  you  wish  to  die?" 

"I  have  no  particular  ambition  that  way,"  said  the 
trooper,  rising,  and  bowing  good-night  to  the  ladies, 
"and,  therefore,  have  been  providing  the  materials  neces 
sary  to  preserve  life." 

The  surgeon  muttered  his  dissatisfaction,  while  he  fol 
lowed  Mason  and  the  captain  from  the  apartment. 

Every  house  in  America  had,  at  that  day,  what  was 
emphatically  called  its  best  room,  and  this  had  been 
allotted,  by  the  unseen  influence  of  Sarah,  to  Colonel  Well- 
mere.  The  down  counterpane,  which  a  clear  frosty  night 
would  render  extremely  grateful  over  bruised  limbs, 
decked  the  English  officer's  bed.  A  massive  silver  tank 
ard,  richly  embossed  with  the  Wharton  arms,  held  the 
beverage  he  was  to  drink  during  the  night;  while  beauti 
ful  vessels  of  china  performed  the  same  office  for  the  two 
American  captains.  Sarah  was  certainly  unconscious  of 
the  silent  preference  she  had  been  giving  to  the  English 
officer;  and  it  is  equally  certain  that,  but  for  his  hurts, 
bed,  tankard,  and  everything  but  the  beverage,  would 
have  been  matters  of  indifference  to  Captain  Lawton,  half 
of  whose  nights  were  spent  in  his  clothes,  and  not  a  few 
of  them  in  the  saddle.  After  taking  possession,  however, 
of  a  small  but  very  comfortable  room,  Doctor  Sitgreaves 
proceeded  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  his  injuries.  He 
had  begun  to  pass  his  hand  over  the  body  of  his  patient, 
when  the  latter  cried  impatiently: 

"Sitgreaves,  do  me  the  favor  to  lay  that  rascally  saw 
aside,  or  I  shall  have  recourse  to  my  sabre  in  self-de 
fence;  the  sight  of  it  makes  my  blood  cold." 


120  THE   SPY 

"Captain  Lawton,  for  a  man  who  has  so  often  exposed 
life  and  limb,  you  are  unaccountably  afraid  of  a  very  use 
ful  instrument." 

"Heaven  keep  me  from  its  use,"  said  the  trooper,  with 
a  shrug. 

"You  would  not  despise  the  lights  of  science,  nor 
refuse  surgical  aid,  because  this  saw  might  be  neces 
sary?" 

"I  would." 

"You  would!" 

"Yes;  you  shall  never  joint  me  like  a  quarter  of  beef, 
while  I  have  life  to  defend  myself,"  cried  the  resolute 
dragoon.  "But  I  grow  sleepy;  are  any  of  my  ribs 
broken?" 

"No." 

"Any  of  my  bones?" 

"No." 

"Tom,  I'll  thank  you  for  that  pitcher."  As  he  ended 
his  draughts,  he  very  deliberately  turned  his  back  on  his 
companions,  and  good-naturedly  cried,  "Good-night, 
Mason;  good-night,  Galen." 

Captain  Lawton  entertained  a  profound  respect  for  the 
surgical  abilities  of  his  comrade,  but  he  was  very  scepti 
cal  on  the  subject  of  administering  internally  for  the 
ailings  of  the  human  frame.  With  a  full  stomach,  a 
stout  heart,  and  a  clear  conscience,  he  often  maintained 
that  a  man  might  bid  defiance  to  the  world  and  its  vicis 
situdes.  Nature  provided  him  with  the  second,  and,  to 
say  the  truth,  he  strove  manfully  himself  to  keep  up  the 
other  two  requisites  in  his  creed.  It  was  a  favorite 
maxim  with  him,  that  the  last  thing  death  assailed  was 
the  eyes,  and  next  to  the  last,  the  jaws.  This  he  inter 
preted  to  be  a  clear  expression  of  the  intention  of  nature, 
that  every  man  might  regulate,  by  his  own  volition, 
whatever  was  to  be  admitted  into  the  sanctuary  of  his 
mouth;  consequently,  if  the  guest  proved  unpalatable,  he 
had  no  one  to  blame  but  himself.  The  surgeon,  who  was 
well  acquainted  with  these  views  of  his  patient,  beheld 
him,  as  he  cavalierly  turned  his  back  on  Mason  and  him 
self,  with  a  commiserating  contempt,  replaced  in  their 
leathern  repository  the  phials  he  had  exhibited,  with  a 


THE  SPY  121 

species  of  care  that  was  allied  to  veneration,  gave  the 
saw,  as  he  concluded,  a  whirl  of  triumph,  and  departed, 
without  condescending  to  notice  the  compliment  of  the 
trooper.  Mason,  finding,  by  the  breathing  of  the  cap 
tain,  that  his  own  good-night  would  be  unheard,  hastened 
to  pay  his  respects  to  the  ladies — after  which  he  mounted 
and  followed  the  troop  at  the  top  of  his  horse's  speed. 


CHAPTER  X 

"On  some  fond  breast  the  parting  soul  relies, 
Some  pious  drops  the  closing  eye  requires, 
E'en  from  the  tomb  the  voice  of  nature  cries, 
E'en  in  our  ashes  live  their  wonted  fires." 

—GRAY. 

THE  possessions  of  Mr.  Wharton  extended  to  some  dis 
tance  on  each  side  of  the  house  in  which  he  dwelt,  and 
most  of  his  land  was  unoccupied.  A  few  scattered  dwell 
ings  were  to  be  seen  in  different  parts  of  his  domains,  but 
they  were  fast  falling  to  decay,  and  were  un tenanted. 
The  proximity  of  the  country  to  the  contending  armies 
had  nearly  banished  the  pursuits  of  agriculture  from  the 
land.  It  was  useless  for  the  husbandman  to  devote  his 
time,  and  the  labor  of  his  hands,  to  obtain  overflowing 
garners,  that  the  first  foraging  party  would  empty. 
None  tilled  the  earth  with  any  other  view  than  to  provide 
the  scanty  means  of  subsistence,  except  those  who  were 
placed  so  near  to  one  of  the  adverse  parties  as  to  be  safe 
from  the  inroads  of  the  light  troops  of  the  other.  To 
these  the  war  offered  a  golden  harvest,  more  especially  to 
such  as  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  an  access  to  the  royal 
army.  Mr.  Wharton  did  not  require  the  use  of  his  lands 
for  the  purposes  of  subsistence;  and  he  willingly  adopted 
the  guarded  practice  of  the  day,  limiting  his  attention  to 
such  articles  as  were  soon  to  be  consumed  within  his  own 
walls,  or  could  be  easily  secreted  from  the  prying  eyes  of 
the  foragers.  In  consequence,  the  ground  on  which  the 
action  was  fought  had  not  a  single  inhabited  building, 
besides  the  one  belonging  to  the  father  of  Harvey  Birch. 
This  house  stood  between  the  place  where  the  cavalry  had 
met,  and  that  where  the  charge  had  been  made  on  the 
party  of  Wellmere. 

To  Katy  Haynes  it  had  been  a  day  fruitful  of  incidents. 
The  prudent  housekeeper  had  kept  her  political  feelings 

122 


THE  SPY  123 

in  a  state  of  rigid  neutrality;  her  own  friends  had  es 
poused  the  cause  of  the  country,  but  the  maiden  herself 
never  lost  sight  of  that  important  moment,  when,  like 
females  of  more  illustrious  hopes,  she  might  be  required 
to  sacrifice  her  love  cf  country  on  the  altar  of  domestic 
harmony.  And  yet,  notwithstanding  all  her  sagacity, 
there  were  moments  when  the  good  woman  had  grievous 
doubts  into  which  scale  she  ought  to  throw  the  weight  of 
her  eloquence,  in  order  to  be  certain  of  supporting  the 
cause  favored  by  the  peddler.  There  was  so  much  that 
was  equivocal  in  his  movements  and  manner,  that  often, 
when,  in  the  privacy  of  their  household,  she  was  about  to 
offer  a  philippic  on  Washington  and  his  followers,  discre 
tion  sealed  her  mouth,  and  distrust  beset  her  mind.  In 
short,  the  whole  conduct  of  the  mysterious  being  she 
studied  was  of  a  character  to  distract  the  opinions  of  one 
who  took  a  more  enlarged  view  of  men  and  life  than 
came  within  the  competency  of  his  housekeeper. 

The  battle  of  the  Plains  had  taught  the  cautious  Wash 
ington  the  advantages  his  enemy  possessed  in  organiza 
tion,  arms,  and  discipline.     There  were  difficulties  to  be 
mastered  by  his  own  vigilance  and  care.     Drawing  off 
his   troops  to  the  heights,  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
county,  he  had  bidden  defiance  to  the  attacks  of  the  royal 
army,  and  Sir  William  Howe  fell  back  to  the  enjoyment 
of  his  barren  conquest— a  deserted  city.  Never  afterwards 
did  the  opposing  armies  make  the  trial  of  strength  within 
the  limits  of  West-Chester;  yet  hardly  a  day  passed,  tl 
the  partisans  did  not  make  their  inroads;  or  a  sun  rise, 
that  the  inhabitants  were  spared  the  relation  of  < 
which  the  preceding  darkness  had  served  to  conceal.    Moi 
of  the  movements  of  the  peddler  were  made  at  the  nou 
which  others  allotted  to  repose.     The  evening  sun  wou 
frequently  leave  him  at  one  extremity  of  the  county,  : 
the  morning  find  him  at  the  other.     His  pack  Wj*l 
never-failing  companion;  and  there  were  those  wh, 
studied  him,  in  his  moments  of  traffic   and  though! 
only  purpose  was  the  accumulation  of  gold 

He  would  be  often  seen  near  the  Highlands,  with  a  bo 
bending  under  its  load;  and  again  near  the  Harlem 

with  lighter  steps,  with  his  face  towards 


124  THE   SPY 

setting  sun.  But  these  glances  at  him  were  uncertain 
and  fleeting.  The  intermediate  time  no  eye  could  pene 
trate.  For  months  he  disappeared,  and  no  traces  of  his 
course  were  ever  known. 

Strong  parties  held  the  heights  of  Harlem,  and  the 
northern  end  of  Manhattan  Island  was  bristling  with  the 
bayonets  of  the  English  sentinels,  yet  the  peddler  glided 
among  them  unnoticed  and  uninjured.  His  approaches 
to  the  American  lines  were  also  frequent;  but  generally 
so  conducted  as  to  baffle  pursuit.  Many  a  sentinel,  placed 
in  the  gorges  of  the  mountains,  spoke  of  a  strange  figure 
that  had  been  seen  gliding  by  them  in  the  mists  of  the 
evening.  These  stories  reached  the  ears  of  the  officers, 
and,  as  we  have  related,  in  two  instances  the  trader  had 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans.  The  first  time  he 
had  escaped  from  Lawton,  shortly  after  his  arrest;  but 
the  second  he  was  condemned  to  die.  On  the  morning  of 
his  intended  execution,  the  cage  was  opened,  but  the  bird 
had  flown.  This  extraordinary  escape  had  been  made 
from  the  custody  of  a  favorite  officer  of  Washington,  and 
sentinels  who  had  been  thought  worthy  to  guard  the  per 
son  of  the  commander- in-chief.  Bribery  and  treason 
could  not  be  imputed  to  men  so  well  esteemed,  and  the 
opinion  gained  ground  among  the  common  soldiery  that 
the  peddler  had  dealings  with  the  dark  one.  Katy,  how 
ever,  always  repelled  this  opinion  with  indignation;  for 
within  the  recesses  of  her  own  bosom,  the  housekeeper,  in 
ruminating  on  the  events,  concluded  that  the  evil  spirit 
did  not  pay  in  gold.  Nor,  continued  the  wary  spinster 
in  her  cogitations,  does  Washington;  paper  and  promises 
were  all  that  the  leader  of  the  American  troops  could  dis 
pense  to  his  servants.  After  the  alliance  with  France, 
when  silver  became  more  abundant  in  the  country, 
although  the  scrutinizing  eyes  of  Katy  never  let  any  op 
portunity  of  examining  into  the  deer-skin  purse  pass 
unimproved,  she  was  never  able  to  detect  the  image  of 
Louis  intruding  into  the  presence  of  the  well-known  coun 
tenance  of  George  III.  In  short,  the  secret  hoard  of 
Harvey  sufficiently  showed  in  its  contents  that  all  its  con 
tributions  had  been  received  from  the  British. 

The  house  of  Birch  had  been  watched  at  different  times 


THE  SPY  125 

by  the  Americans,  with  a  view  to  his  arrest,  but  never 
with  success;  the  reputed  spy  possessing  a  secret  means 
of  intelligence,  that  invariably  defeated  their  schemes 
Once,  when  a  strong  body  of  the  Continental  Army  held 
the  Four  Corners  for  a  whole  summer,  orders  had  been 
received  from  Washington  himself,  never  to  leave  the 
door  of  Harvey  Birch  unwatched.  The  command  was 
rigidly  obeyed,  and  during  this  long  period  the  peddler 
was  unseen;  the  detachment  was  withdrawn,  and  the  fol 
lowing  night  Birch  re-entered  his  dwelling.  The  father 
of  Harvey  had  been  greatly  molested,  in  consequence  of 
the  suspicious  character  of  the  son.  But,  notwithstand 
ing  the  most  minute  scrutiny  into  the  conduct  of  the  old 
man,  no  fact  could  be  substantiated  against  him  to  his 
injury,  and  his  property  was  too  small  to  keep  alive  the 
zeal  of  patriots  by  profession.  Its  confiscation  and  pur 
chase  would  not  have  rewarded  their  trouble.  Age  and 
sorrow  were  now  about  to  spare  him  further  molestation, 
for  the  lamp  of  life  had  been  drained  of  its  oil.  The 
recent  separation  of  the  father  and  son  had  been  pain 
ful,  but  they  had  submitted  in  obedience  to  what  both 
thought  a  duty.  The  old  man  had  kept  his  dying  situa 
tion  a  secret  from  the  neighborhood,  in  the  hope  that  he 
might  still  have  the  company  of  his  child  in  his  last  mo 
ments.  The  confusion  of  the  day,  and  his  increasing  dread 
that  Harvey  might  be  too  late,  helped  to  hasten  the  event 
he  would  fain  arrest  for  a  little  while.  As  night  set  in, 
his  illness  increased  to  such  a  degree,  that  the  dismayed 
housekeeper  sent  a  truant  boy,  who  had  shut  himself  up 
with  them  during  the  combat,  to  the  Locusts,  in  quest  of 
a  companion  to  cheer  her  solitude.  Caesar,  alone,  could 
be  spared,  and,  loaded  with  eatables  and  cordials  by  the 
kind-hearted  Miss  Peyton,  the  black  had  been  despatched 
on  his  duty.  The  dying  man  was  past  the  use  of  medi 
cines,  and  his  chief  anxiety  seemed  to  centre  in  a  meeting 
with  his  child. 

The  noise  of  the  chase  had  been  heard  by  the  group  i 
the  house,  but  its  cause  was  not  understood;  and  as  I 
the  black  and  Katy  were  apprised  of  the  detachmen 
American  horse  being  below  them,  they  supposed 
proceed  from  the  return  of  that  party.     They  heard 


126  THE  SPY 

dragoons,  as  they  moved  slowly  by  the  building;  but  in 
compliance  with  the  prudent  injunction  of  the  black,  the 
housekeeper  forebore  to  indulge  her  curiosity.  The  old 
man  had  closed  his  eyes,  and  his  attendants  believed  him 
to  be  asleep.  The  house  contained  two  large  rooms,  and 
as  many  small  ones.  One  of  the  former  served  for 
kitchen  and  sitting-room;  in  the  other  lay  the  father  of 
Birch;  of  the  latter,  one  was  the  sanctuary  of  the  vestal, 
and  the  other  contained  the  stock  of  provisions.  A  huge 
chimney  of  stone  rose  in  the  centre,  serving,  of  itself,  for 
a  partition  between  the  larger  rooms;  and  fireplaces  of 
corresponding  dimensions  were  in  each  apartment.  A 
bright  flame  was  burning  in  that  of  the  common  room, 
and  within  the  very  jambs  of  its  monstrous  jaws  sat 
Cassar  and  Katy,  at  the  time  of  which  we  write.  The 
African  was  impressing  his  caution  on  the  housekeeper, 
and  commenting  on  the  general  danger  of  indulging  an 
idle  curiosity. 

"Best  nebber  tempt  a  Satan,"  said  Ca3sar,  rolling  up 
his  eyes  till  the  whites  glistened  by  the  glare  of  the  fire; 
"I  berry  like  heself  to  lose  an  ear  for  carrying  a  little  bit 
of  a  letter;  dere  much  mischief  come  of  curiosity.  If 
dere  had  nebber  been  a  man  curious  to  see  Africa,  dere 
would  be  no  color  people  out  of  dere  own  country;  but  I 
wish  Harvey  get  back. ' ' 

"It  is  very  disregardful  in  him  to  be  away  at  such  a 
time,"  said  Katy,  imposingly.  "Suppose  now,  his  father 
wanted  to  make  his  last  will  in  the  testament,  who  is 
there  to  do  so  solemn  and  awful  an  act  for  him?  Harvey 
is  a  very  wasteful  and  a  very  disregardful  man!" 

"Perhaps  he  make  him  afore?" 

"It  would  not  be  a  wonderment  if  he  had,"  returned 
the  housekeeper;  "he  is  whole  days  looking  into  the 
Bible." 

"Then  he  read  a  berry  good  book,"  said  the  black,  sol 
emnly,  "Miss  Fanny  read  in  him  to  Dinah  now  and 
den." 

"You  are  right,  C^sar.  The  Bible  is  the  best  of 
books,  and  one  that  reads  it  as  often  as  Harvey's  father 
should  have  the  best  of  reasons  for  so  doing.  This  is  no 
more  than  common-sense. ' ' 


THE  SPY  127 

She  rose  from  her  seat,  and  stealing  softly  to  a  chest  of 
drawers  in  the  room  of  the  sick  man,  she  took  from  it  a 
large  Bible,  heavily  bound,  and  secured  with  strong  clasps 
of  brass,  with  which  she  returned  to  the  negro.  The  vol 
ume  was  eagerly  opened,  and  they  proceeded  instantly 
to  examine  its  pages.  Katy  was  far  from  an  expert 
scholar,  and  to  Caesar  the  characters  were  absolutely 
strangers.  For  some  time  the  housekeeper  was  occupied 
in  finding  out  the  word  Matthew,  in  which  she  had  no 
sooner  succeeded  than  she  pointed  out  the  words,  with 
great  complacency,  to  the  attentive  Caesar. 

"Berry  well,  now  look  him  t'rough,"  said  the  black, 
peeping  over  the  housekeeper's  shoulder,  as  he  held  a  long 
lank  candle  of  yellow  tallow,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  throw 
its  feeble  light  on  the  volume. 

"Yes,  but  I  must  begin  with  the  very  beginning  of  the 
book,"  replied  the  other,  turning  the  leaves  carefully 
back,  until,  moving  two  at  once,  she  lighted  upon  a  page 
covered  with  writing.  "Here,"  said  the  housekeeper, 
shaking  with  the  eagerness  of  expectation,  "here  are  the 
very  words  themselves;  now  I  would  give  the  world 
itself  to  know  whom  he  has  left  the  big  silver  shoe- 
buckles  to." 

"Read  'em,"  said  Caesar,  laconically. 

"And  the  black  walnut  drawers;  for  Harvey  could 
never  want  furniture]  of  that  quality,  as  long  as  he  is  a 
bachelor!" 

"Why  he  no  want  'em  as  well  as  he  fader?" 

"And  the  six  silver  tablespoons;  Harvey  always  uses  the 
iron!" 

"P'r'ap  he  say,  widout  so  much  talk,"  returned 
sententious  black,  pointing  one  of  his  crooked  and  dingy 
fingers  at  the  open  volume. 

Thus   repeatedly  advised,  and   impelled  by  her  own 
curiosity,  Katy  began  to  read.     Anxious  to  come  to  tl 
part  which  most  interested  herself,  she  dipped  at  once 
into  the  centre  of  the  subject. 

"Chester  Birch,  born  September  1,  1755,  - 
spinster,  with  a  deliberation  that  did  no  great 
her  scholarship. 

"Well,  what  he  gib  him?" 


128  THE   SPY 

"Abigail  Birch,  born  July  12,  1757,"  continued  the 
housekeeper,  in  the  same  tone. 

"I  t'ink  he  ought  to  gib  her  'e  spoon." 

"June  1,  1760.  On  this  awful  day,  the  judgment  of  an 
offended  God  lighted  on  my  house:  "  a  heavy  groan  from 
the  adjoining  room  made  the  spinster  instinctively  close 
the  volume,  and  Caesar,  for  a  moment,  shook  with  fear. 
Neither  possessed  sufficient  resolution  to  go  and  examine 
the  condition  of  the  sufferer,  but  his  heavy  breathing 
continued  as  usual.  Katy  dared  not,  however,  reopen 
the  Bible,  and  carefully  securing  its  clasps,  it  was  laid  on 
the  table  in  silence.  Caesar  took  his  chair  again,  and 
after  looking  timidly  round  the  room,  remarked: 

"I  fought  he  time  war'  come!" 

"No, "said  Katy,  solemnly,  "he  will  live  till  the  tide 
is  out,  or  the  first  cock  crows  in  the  morning." 

"Poor  man!"  continued  the  black,  nestling  still  farther 
into  the  chimney-corner,  "I  hope  he  lay  quiet  after  he 
die." 

"'Twould  be  no  astonishment  to  me  if  he  didn't;  for 
they  say  an  unquiet  life  makes  an  uneasy  grave." 

"Johnny  Birch  a  berry  good  man  in  he  way.  All  man 
kind  can't  be  a  minister;  for  if  he  do,  who  would  be  a 
congregation?" 

"Ah!  Caesar,  he  is  good  only  who  does  good — can  you 
tell  me  why  honestly  gotten  gold  should  be  hidden  in  the 
bowels  of  the  earth?" 

"Grach! — I  t'ink  it  must  be  to  keep  t'e  Skinner  from 
findin'  him;  if  he  know  where  he  be,  why  don't  he  dig 
him  up?" 

"There  may  be  reasons  not  comprehendable  to  you," 
said  Katy,  moving  her  chair  so  that  her  clothes  covered  the 
charmed  stone,  underneath  which  lay  the  secret  treasures 
of  the  peddler,  unable  to  refrain  speaking  of  that  which 
she  would  have  been  very  unwilling  to  reveal;  "but  a 
rough  outside  often  holds  a  smooth  inside."  Csesar 
stared  around  the  building,  unable  to  fathom  the  hidden 
meaning  of  his  companion,  when  his  roving  eyes  sud 
denly  became  fixed,  and  his  teeth  chattered  with  af 
fright.  The  change  in  the  countenance  of  the  black  was 
instantly  perceived  by  Katy,  and,  turning  her  face,  she 


THE  SPY  129 

saw  the  peddler  himself,  standing  within  the  door  of  the 
room. 

"Is  he  alive?"  asked  Birch,  tremulously,  and  seemingly 
afraid  to  receive  the  answer. 

"Surely,"  said  Katy,  rising  hastily  and  officiously 
offering  her  chair;  "he  must  live  till  day,  or  till  the  tide 
is  down." 

Disregarding  all  but  the  fact  that  his  father  still  lived, 
the  peddler  stole  gently  into  the  room  of  his  dying  parent. 
The  tie  which  bound  the  father  and  son  was  of  no  ordinary 
kind.  In  the  wide  world  they  were  all  to  each  other.  Had 
Katy  but  read  a  few  lines  farther  in  the  record,  she  would 
have  seen  the  sad  tale  of  their  misfortunes.  At  one  blow 
competence  and  kindred  had  been  swept  from  them,  and 
from  that  day  to  the  present  hour,  persecution  and  dis 
tress  had  followed  their  wandering  steps.  Approaching 
the  bedside,  Harvey  leaned  his  body  forward,  and,  in  a 
voice  nearly  choked  by  his  feelings,  he  whispered  near 
the  ear  of  the  sick: 

"Father,  do  you  know  me?" 

The  parent  slowly  opened  his  eyes,  and  a  smile  of  satis 
faction  passed  over  his  pallid  features,  leaving  behind  it 
the  impression  of  death,  more  awful  by  the  contrast. 
The  peddler  gave  a  restorative  he  had  brought  with  him 
to  the  parched  lips  of  the  sick  man,  and  for  a  few  min 
utes  new  vigor  seemed  imparted  to  his  frame.  He  spoke, 
but  slowly  and  with  difficulty.  Curiosity  kept  Katy 
silent;  awe  had  the  same  effect  on  Caesar;  and  Harvey 
seemed  hardly  to  breathe,  as  he  listened  to  the  langu; 
of  the  departing  spirit. 

"My  son  "  said  the  father  in  a  hollow  voice,     God 
as  merciful  as  He  is  just;  if  I  threw  the  cup  of  salvati 
from  my  lips  when  a  youth,  He  graciously  offers 
in  mine  age.     He  has  chastised  to  purify,  and  I  go 
join  the  spirits  of  our  lost  family.     In  a  little  while  my 
child   you  will  be  alone.     I  know  you  too  well  not  t 
foresee  you  will  be  a  pilgrim  through  life.     The  bruise 
reed  may  endure,  but  it  will  never  rise.     You  have 
wRhin  you,  Harvey,  that  will  guide  you  aright;  perse 
vered  you  have  begun,  for  the  duties  of .  life  are  r 
to  be  neglected  and"-a  noise  in  the  adjoining  room  in- 


130  THE  SPY 

terrupted  the  dying  man,  and  the  impatient  peddler  has 
tened  to  learn  the  cause,  followed  by  Katy  and  the  black. 
The  first  glance  of  his  eye  on  the  figure  in  the  doorway 
told  the  trader  but  too  well  his  errand,  and  the  fate  that 
probably  awaited  himself.  The  intruder  was  a  man  still 
young  in  years,  but  his  lineaments  bespoke  a  mind  long- 
agitated  by  evil  passions.  His  dress  was  of  the  meanest 
materials,  and  so  ragged  and  unseemly,  as  to  give  him 
the  appearance  of  studied  poverty.  His  hair  was  prema 
turely  whitened,  and  his  sunken,  lowering  eye  avoided  the 
bold,  forward  look  of  innocence.  There  was  a  restlessness 
in  his  movement,  and  an  agitation  in  his  manner,  that 
proceeded  from  the  workings  of  the  foul  spirit  within 
him,  and  which  was  not  less  offensive  to  others  than  dis 
tressing  to  himself.  This  man  was  a  well-known  leader 
of  one  of  those  gangs  of  marauders  who  infested  the 
county  with  a  semblance  of  patriotism,  and  who  were 
guilty  of  every  grade  of  offence,  from  simple  theft  up  to 
murder.  Behind  him  stood  several  other  figures  clad  in  a 
similar  manner,  but  whose  countenances  expressed  noth 
ing  more  than  the  indifference  of  brutal  insensibility. 
They  were  well  armed  with  muskets  and  bayonets,  and 
provided  with  the  usual  implements  of  foot-soldiers. 
Harvey  knew  resistance  to  be  vain,  and  quietly  submitted 
to  their  directions.  In  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  both  he 
and  Caesar  were  stripped  of  their  decent  garments,  and 
made  to  exchange  clothes  with  two  of  the  filthiest  of  the 
band.  They  were  then  placed  in  separate  corners  of  the 
room,  and,  underthe  muzzles  of  the  muskets,  required  faith 
fully  to  answer  such  interrogatories  as  were  put  to  them. 

"Where  is  your  pack?"  was  the  first  question  to  the 
peddler. 

"Hear  me,"  said  Birch,  trembling  with  agitation;  "in 
the  next  room  is  my  father,  now  in  the  agonies  of  death; 
let  me  go  to  him,  receive  his  blessing,  and  close  his  eyes, 
and  you  shall  have  all — aye,  all." 

"Answer  me  as  I  put  the  question,  or  this  musket 
shall  send  you  to  keep  the  old  driveller  company;  where 
is  your  pack?" 

"I  will  tell  you  nothing,  unless  you  let  me  go  to  my 
father,"  said  the  peddler,  resolutely. 


THE  SPY  131 

His  persecutor  raised  his  arm  with  a  malicious  sneer, 
and  was  about  to  execute  his  threat,  when  one  of  his 
companions  checked  him. 

"What  would  you  do?"  he  said,  "you  surely  forget  the 
reward.  Tell  us  where  are  your  goods,  and  you  shall  go 
to  your  father." 

Birch  complied  instantly,  and  a  man  was  despatched  in 
quest  of  the  booty;  he  soon  returned,  throwing  the  bun 
dle  on  the  floor,  swearing  it  was  as  light  as  feathers. 

"Aye,"  cried  the  leader,  "there  must  be  gold  some 
where  for  what  it  did  contain.  Give  us  your  gold,  Mr. 
Birch;  we  know  you  have  it;  you  will  not  take  conti 
nental,  not  you." 

"You  break  your  faith,"  said  Harvey. 

"Give  us  your  gold,"  exclaimed  the  other,  furiously, 
pricking  the  peddler  with  his  bayonet  until  the  blood  fol 
lowed  his  pushes  in  streams.  At  this  instant  a  slight 
movement  was  heard  in  the  adjoining  room,  and  Harvey 
cried  imploringly: 

"Let  me — let  me  go  to  my  father,  and  you  shall  have 
all." 

"I  swear  you  shall  go  then,"  said  the  Skinner. 

"Here,  take  the  trash,"  cried  Birch,  as  he  threw  aside 
the  purse,  which  he  had  contrived  to  conceal,  notwith 
standing  the  change  in  his  garments. 

The  robber  raised  it  from  the  floor  with  a  hell  ish^  laugh. 

"Aye,  but  it  shall  be  to  your  father  in  heaven." 

"Monster!  have  you  no  feeling,  no  faith,  no  honesty? 

"To  hear  him,  one  would  think  there  was  not  a  rope 
around  his  neck  already,"  said  the  other,  laughing. 

"There  is  no  necessity  for  your  being  uneasy,  * 
Birch-  if  the  old  man  gets  a  few  hours  the  start  of  you 
the  journey,  you  will  be  sure  to  follow  him  b 

°  This  unfeeling  communication  had  no  effect  on  the  ped 
dler    who  listened  with  gasping  breath  to  every  sol 
from  the  room  of  his  parent  until  he  heard  his  own  name 
spoken  in  the  hollow,  sepulchral  tones  of  death, 
could  endure  no  more,  but  shrieking  out: 

"Father!  hush-father!  I  come-I  come!    he  d 
his  keeper,  and  was  the  next  moment  pinned  to  tl 


132  THE   SPY 

by  the  bayonet  of  another  of  the  band.  Fortunately,  his 
quick  motion  had  caused  him  to  escape  a  thrust  aimed  at 
his  life,  and  it  was  by  his  clothes  only  that  he  was 
confined. 

"No,  Mr.  Birch,"  said  the  Skinner,  "we  know  you  too 
well  for  a  slippery  rascal,  to  trust  you  out  of  sight — your 
gold,  your  gold!" 

"You  have  it,"  said  the  peddler,  writhing  with  agony. 

"Aye,  we  have  the  purse,  but  you  have  more  purses. 
King  George  is  a  prompt  paymaster,  and  you  have  done 
him  many  a  piece  of  good  service.  Where  is  your  hoard? 
Without  it  you  will  never  see  your  father." 

"Remove  the  stone  underneath  the  woman,"  cried  the 
peddler,  eagerly — "remove  the  stone." 

"He  raves!  he  raves!"  said  Katy,  instinctively  moving 
her  position  to  a  different  stone  from  the  one  on  which 
she  had  been  standing.  In  a  moment  it  was  torn  from  its 
bed,  and  nothing  but  earth  was  seen  beneath. 

"He  raves!  youhave  driven  him  from  his  right  mind," 
continued  the  trembling  spinster:  "would  any  man  in  his 
senses  keep  gold  under  a  hearth?" 

"Peace,  babbling  fool!"  cried  Harvey.  "Lift  the 
corner  stone,  and  you  will  find  that  which  will  make  you 
rich,  and  me  a  beggar. ' ' 

"And  then  you  will  be  despisable, "  said  the  house 
keeper,  bitterly.  "A  peddler  without  goods  and  without 
money  is  sure  to  be  despisable." 

"There  will  be  enough  left  to  pay  for  his  halter," 
cried  the  Skinner,  who  was  not  slow  to  follow  the  instruc 
tions  of  Harvey,  soon  lighting  upon  a  store  of  English 
guineas.  The  money  was  quickly  transferred  to  a  bag, 
notwithstanding  the  declarations  of  the  spinster,  that  her 
dues  were  unsatisfied,  and  that,  of  right,  ten  of  the 
guineas  were  her  property. 

Delighted  with  a  prize  that  greatly  exceeded  their  ex 
pectations,  the  band  prepared  to  depart,  intending  to 
take  the  peddler  with  them,  in  order  to  give  him  up  to 
the  American  troops  above,  and  to  claim  the  reward 
offered  for  his  apprehension.  Everything  was  ready,  and 
they  were  about  to  lift  Birch  in  their  arms,  for  he  reso 
lutely  refused  to  move  an  inch,  when  a  form  appeared  in 


THE  SPY  133 

their  midst,  which  appalled  the  stoutest  hearts  among 
them.  The  father  had  arisen  from  his  bed,  and  he  tot 
tered  forth  at  the  cries  of  his  son.  Around  his  body  was 
thrown  the  sheet  of  the  bed,  and  his  fixed  eye  and  hag 
gard  face  gave  him  the  appearance  of  a  being  from 
another  world.  Even  Katy  and  Caesar  thought  it  was  the 
spirit  of  the  elder  Birch,  and  they  fled  the  house,  fol 
lowed  by  the  alarmed  Skinners  in  a  body. 

The  excitement,  which  had  given  the  sick  man  strength, 
soon  vanished,  and  the  peddler,  lifting  him  in  his  arms, 
reconveyed  him  to  his  bed.  The  reaction  of  the  system 
which  followed  hastened  to  close  the  scene. 

The  glazed  eye  of  the  father  was  fixed  upon  the  son; 
his  lips  moved,  but  his  voice  was  unheard.  Harvey  bent 
down,  _  and,  with  the  parting  breath  of  his  parent, 
received  his  dying  benediction.  A  life  of  privation,  and 
of  wrongs,  embittered  most  of  the  future  hours  of  the 
peddler.  But  under  no  sufferings,  in  no  misfortune-, 
the  subject  of  poverty  and  obloquy,  the  remembrance  of 
that  blessing  never  left  him;  it  constantly  gleamed  over 
the  images  of  the  past,  shedding  a  holy  radiance  around 
his  saddest  hours  of  despondency;  it  cheered  the  prospect 
of  the  future  with  the  prayers  of  a  pious  spirit;  and  it 
brought  the  sweet  assurance  of  having  faithfully  and 
truly  discharged  the  sacred  offices  of  filial  love. 

The  retreat  of  Caesar  and  the  spinster  had  been  too 
precipitate  to  admit  of  much  calculation;  yet  they  them 
selves  instinctively  separated  from  the  Skinners.  After 
fleeing  a  short  distance  they  paused,  and  the  maiden  com 
menced,  in  a  solemn  voice: 

"Oh!  Csesar,  was  it  not  dreadful  to  walk  before  he  had 
been  laid  in  his  grave!  It  must  have  been  the  money 
that  disturbed  him:  they  say  Captain  Kidd  walks  near  the 
spot  where  he  buried  gold  in  the  old  war.' 

"I  neber  t'ink  Johnny  Birch  hab  such  a  big  eye! 
the  African,  his  teeth  yet  chattering  with  the  fright. 

"I'm  sure  'twould  be  a  botherment  to  a  living  s 
lose  so  much  money.     Harvey  will  be  nothing  but 
utterly  despisable,   poverty-stricken  wretch.     I  WOE 
who  he  thinks  would  even  be  his  housekeeper! 

"Maybe  a  spook  take  away  Harvey,  too,      obi 


134  THE   SPY 

Caesar,  moving  still  nearer  to  the  side  of  the  maiden. 
But  a  new  idea  had  seized  the  imagination  of  the  spin 
ster.  She  thought  it  not  improbable  that  the  prize  had 
been  forsaken  in  the  confusion  of  the  retreat;  and  after 
deliberating  and  reasoning  for  some  time  with  Caesar, 
they  determined  to  venture  back,  and  ascertain  this  im 
portant  fact,  and,  if  possible,  learn  what  had  been  the 
fate  of  the  peddler.  Much  time  was  spent  in  cautiously 
approaching  the  dreaded  spot;  and  as  the  spinster  had 
sagaciously  placed  herself  in  the  line  of  the  retreat  of  the 
Skinners,  every  stone  was  examined  in  the  progress  in 
search  of  abandoned  gold.  But  although  the  suddenness 
of  the  alarm  and  the  cry  of  Caesar  had  impelled  the  free 
booters  to  so  hasty  a  retreat,  they  grasped  the  hoard  with 
a  hold  that  death  itself  would  not  have  loosened.  Per 
ceiving  everything  to  be  quiet  within,  Katy  at  length 
mustered  resolution  to  enter  the  dwelling,  where  she 
found  the  peddler,  with  a  heavy  heart,  performing  the 
last  sad  offices  for  the  dead.  A  few  words  sufficed  to  ex 
plain  to  Katy  the  nature  of  her  mistake;  but  Caesar  con 
tinued  to  his  dying  day  to  astonish  the  sable  inmates  of 
the  kitchen  with  learned  dissertations  on  spooks,  and  to 
relate  how  direful  was  the  appearance  of  that  of  Johnny 
Birch. 

The  danger  compelled  the  peddler  to  abridge  even  the 
short  period  that  American  custom  leaves  the  deceased 
with  us;  and,  aided  by  the  black  and  Katy,  his  painful 
task  was  soon  ended.  Caesar  volunteered  to  walk  a 
couple  of  miles  with  orders  to  a  carpenter;  and,  the  body 
being  habited  in  its  ordinary  attire,  was  left,  with  a 
sheet  thrown  decently  over  it,  to  await  the  return  of  the 
messenger. 

The  Skinners  had  fled  precipitately  to  the  wood,  which 
was  but  a  short  distance  from  the  house  of  Birch,  and 
once  safely  sheltered  within  its  shades,  they  halted,  and 
mustered  their  panic-stricken  forces. 

"What  in  the  name  of  fury  seized  your  coward 
hearts?"  cried  their  dissatisfied  leader,  drawing  his 
breath  heavily. 

"The  same  question  might  be  asked  yourself,"  returned 
one  of  the  band,  sullenly. 


THE  SPY  135 

"From  your  fright,  I  thought  a  party  of  De  Lancey's 
men  were  upon  us.  Oh!  you  are  brave  gentlemen  at  a 
race ! ' : 

"We  follow  our  captain." 

"Then  follow  me  back,  and  let  us  secure  the  scoundrel, 
and  receive  the  reward." 

"Yes;  and  by  the  time  we  reach  the  house,  that  black 
rascal  will  have  the  mad  Virginian  upon  us;  by  my  soul, 
I  would  rather  meet  fifty  Cow-Boys  than  that  single 
man." 

"Fool!"  cried  the  enraged  leader,  "don't  you  know 
Dunwoodie's  horse  are  at  the  Corners,  full  two  miles 
from  here?" 

"I  care  not  where  the  dragoons  are,  but  I  will  swear 
that  I  saw  Captain  Lawton  enter  the  house  of  old  Whar- 
ton,  while  I  lay  watching  an  opportunity  of  getting  the 
British  colonel's  horse  from  the  stable." 

"And  if  he  should  come,  won't  a  bullet  silence  a 
dragoon  from  the  South  as  well  a?  one  from  old  England?" 

"Ay,  but  I  don't  choose  a  hornet's  nest  about  my  ears; 
raze  the  skin  of  one  of  that  corps,  and  you  will  never  see 
another  peaceable  night's  foraging  again." 

"Well,"  muttered  the  leader,  as  they  retired  deeper 
into  the  wood,  "this  sottish  peddler  will  stay  to  see  the 
old  devil  buried;  and  though  we  cannot  touch  him  at  the 
funeral  (for  that  would  raise  every  old  woman  and  priest 
in  America  against  us),  he'll  wait  to  look  after  the 
movables,  and  to-morrow  night  shall  wind  up  his  con- 
cerns. ' ' 

With  this  threat  they  withdrew  to  one  of  their  usual 
places  of  resort,  until  darkness  should  again  give  them  an 
opportunity  of  marauding  on  the  community  without  dan 
ger  of  detection. 


CHAPTER  XI 

"  O  woe  !  O  woful,  wof ul,  wof ul  day  I 
Most  lamentable  day:  most  woful  day, 
That  ever,  ever,  I  did  yet  behold  ! 
O  day !  O  day  !  O  day  !  O  hateful  day  ! 
Never  was  seen  so  black  a  day  as  this: 
O  woful  day  !  O  •woful  day  !" 

— SHAKESPEAEE. 

THE  family  at  the  Locusts  had  slept,  or  watched, 
through  all  the  disturbances  at  the  cottage  of  Birch,  in 
perfect  ignorance  of  their  occurrence.  The  attacks  of  the 
Skinners  were  always  made  with  so  much  privacy  as  to 
exclude  the  sufferers,  not  only  from  succor,  but  fre 
quently,  through  a  dread  of  future  depredations,  from 
the  commiseration  of  their  neighbors  also.  Additional 
duties  had  drawn  the  ladies  from  their  pillows  at  an  hour 
somewhat  earlier  than  usual;  and  Captain  Lawton,  not 
withstanding  the  sufferings  of  his  body,  had  risen  in 
compliance  with  a  rule  from  which  he  never  departed,  of 
sleeping  but  six  hours  at  a  time.  This  was  one  of  the  few 
points,  in  which  the  care  of  the  human  frame  was  in 
volved,  on  which  the  trooper  and  the  surgeon  of  horse 
were  ever  known  to  agree.  The  doctor  had  watched, 
during  the  night,  by  the  side  of  the  bed  of  Captain  Sin 
gleton,  without  once  closing  his  eyes.  Occasionally  he 
would  pay  a  visit  to  the  wounded  Englishman,  who, 
being  more  hurt  in  the  spirit  than  in  the  flesh,  tolerated 
the  interruptions  with  a  very  ill  grace;  and  once,  for 
an  instant,  he  ventured  to  steal  softly  to  the  bed  of  his 
obstinate  comrade,  and  was  near  succeeding  in  obtaining 
a  touch  of  his  pulse,  when  a  terrible  oath,  sworn  by  the 
trooper  in  a  dream,  startled  the  prudent  surgeon,  and 
warned  him  of  a  trite  saying  in  the  corps,  "that  Captain 
Lawton  always  slept  with  one  eye  open."  This  group 
had  assembled  in  one  of  the  parlors  as  the  sun  made  its 

136 


THE  SPY  137 

appearance  over  the  eastern  hill,  dispersing  the  columns 
ot  fog  whicn  had  enveloped  the  low  land. 

Miss  Peyton  was  looking  from  a  window  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  tenement  of  the  peddler,  and  was  expressing 
a  kind  anxiety  after  the  welfare  of  the  sick  man,  when 
the  person  of  Katy  suddenly  emerged  from  the  dense  cov 
ering  of  an  earthly  cloud,  whose  mists  were  scattering 
before  the  cheering  rays  of  the  sun,  and  was  seen  making 
hasty  steps  towards  the  Locusts.  There  was  that  in  the 
air  of  the  housekeeper  which  bespoke  distress  of  an 
unusual  nature,  and  the  kind-hearted  mistress  of  the 
Locusts  opened  the  door  of  the  room,  with  the  benevolent 
intention  of  soothing  a  grief  that  seemed  so  overwhelm 
ing.  A  nearer  view  of  the  disturbed  features  of  the  visi 
tor  confirmed  Miss  Peyton  in  her  belief;  and,  with  the 
shock  that  gentle  feelings  ever  experience  at  a  sudden 
and  endless  separation  from  even  the  meanest  of  their 
associates,  she  said,  hastily: 

''Katy,  is  he  gone?" 

"No,  ma'am,"  replied  the  disturbed  damsel,  with  great 
bitterness,  "he  is  not  yet  gone,  but  he  may  go  as  soon  as 
he  pleases  now,  for  the  worst  is  done.  I  do  verily  believe, 
Miss  Peyton,  they  haven't  so  much  as  left  him  money 
enough  to  buy  him  another  suit  of  clothes  to  cover  his 
nakedness,  and  those  he  has  on  are  none  of  the  best,  I  can 
tell  you." 

"How!"  exclaimed  the  other,  astonished,  "could  any 
one  have  the  heart  to  plunder  a  man  in  such  distress?" 

"Hearts!"  repeated  Katy,  catching  her  breath;  "men 
like  them  have  no  bowels  at  all.  Plunder  and  distress, 
indeed!  Why,  ma'am,  there  were  in  the  iron  pot,  in 
plain  sight,  fifty-four  guineas  of  gold,  besides  what  lay 
underneath,  which  I  couldn't  count  without  handling; 
and  I  didn't  like  to  touch  it,  for  they  say  that  another's 
gold  is  apt  to  stick—  so,  judging  from  that  in  sight,  there 
wasn't  less  than  two  hundred  guineas,  besides  what 
might  have  been  in  the  deer-skin  purse.  But  Harvey 
a  little  better  now  than  a  beggar;  and  a  beggar, 
Jeanette,  is  the  most  awfully  despisable  of  all  earthly 


t'iir6is 

Poverty  is  to  be  pitied,  and  not  despised,"  said  the 


138  THE  SPY 

lady,  still  unable  to  comprehend  the  extent  of  the  mis 
fortune  that  had  befallen  her  neighbor  during  the  night. 
"But  how  is  the  old  man?  And  does  this  loss  affect  him 
much?" 

The  countenance  of  Katy  changed  from  the  natural  ex 
pression  of  concern,  to  the  set  form  of  melancholy,  as  she 
answered : 

"He  is  happily  removed  from  the  cares  of  the  world; 
the  chinking  cf  the  money  made  him  get  out  of  his  bed, 
and  the  poor  soul  found  the  shock  too  great  for  him.  He 
died  about  two  hours  and  ten  minutes  before  the  cock 
crowed,  as  near  as  we  can  say;"  she  was  interrupted  by 
the  physician,  who,  approaching,  inquired,  with  much 
interest,  the  nature  of  the  disorder.  Glancing  her  eye 
over  the  figure  of  this  new  acquaintance,  Katy,  instinct 
ively  adjusting  her  dress,  replied: 

"Twas  the  troubles  of  the  times,  and  the  loss  of  prop 
erty,  that  brought  him  down;  he  wasted  from  day  to  day, 
and  all  my  care  and  anxiety  were  lost;  for  now  Harvey  is 
no  better  than  a  beggar,  and  who  is  there  to  pay  me  for 
what  I  have  done?" 

"God  will  reward  you  for  all  the  good  you  have  done," 
said  Miss  Peyton,  mildly. 

"Yes,"  interrupted  the  spinster  hastily,  and  with  an 
air  of  reverence  that  was  instantly  succeeded  by  an  ex 
pression  that  denoted  more  of  worldly  care;  "but  then  I 
have  left  my  wages  for  three  years  past  in  the  hartds  of 
Harvey,  and  how  am  I  to  get  them?  My  brothers  told 
me,  again  and  again,  to  ask  for  my  money;  but  I  always 
thought  accounts  between  relations  were  easily  settled." 

"Were  you  related,  then,  to  Birch?"  asked  Miss  Pey 
ton,  observing  her  to  pause. 

"Why,"  returned  the  housekeeper,  hesitating  a  little, 
"I  thought  we  were  as  good  as  so.  I  wonder  if  I  have  no 
claim  on  the  house  and  garden;  though  they  say,  now  it 
is  Harvey's,  it  will  surely  be  confisticated, "  turning  to 
Lawton,  who  had  been  sitting  in  one  posture,  with  his 
piercing  eyes  lowering  at  her  through  his  thick  brows, 
in  silence,  "perhaps  this  gentleman  knows — he  seems  to 
take  an  interest  in  my  story." 

"Madam,"  said  the  trooper,  bowing  very  low,  "both 


THE  SPY  139 

you  and  the  tale  are  extremely  interesting"— Katy  smiled 
involuntarily— "but  my  humble  knowledge  is  limited  to 
the  setting  of  a  squadron  in  the  field,  and  using  it  when 
there.  I  beg  leave  to  refer  you  to  Dr.  Archibald  Sit- 
greaves,  a  gentleman  of  universal  attainments  and  un 
bounded  philanthropy;  the  very  milk  of  human  sympa 
thies,  and  a  mortal  foe  to  all  indiscriminate  cutting." 
^  The  surgeon  drew  up,  and  employed  himself  in  whist 
ling  a  low  air,  as  he  looked  over  some  phials  on  a  table; 
but  the  housekeeper,  turning  to  him  with  an  inclination 
of  the  head,  continued: 

[   suppose,  sir,  a  woman  has  no  dower  in  her  hus 
band's  property,  unless  they  be  actually  married?" 

It  was  a  maxim  with  Dr.  Sitgreaves,  that  no  species  of 
knowledge  was  to  be  despised ;  and,  consequently,  he  was 
an  empiric  in  everything  but  his  profession.  At  first, 
indignation  at  the  irony  of  his  comrade  kept  him  silent; 
but,  suddenly  changing  his  purpose,  he  answered  the 
applicant  with  a  good-natured  smile: 

"I  judge  not.  If  death  has  anticipated  your  nuptials, 
I  am  fearful  you  have  no  remedy  against  his  stern  de 
crees." 

To  Katy  this  sounded  well,  although  she  understood 
nothing  of  its  meaning,  but  "death"  and  "nuptials." 
To  this  part  of  his  speech,  then,  she  directed  her  reply. 

"I  did  think  he  only  waited  the  death  of  the  old  gen 
tleman  before  he  married,"  said  the  housekeeper,  looking 
on  the  carpet;  "but  now  he  is  nothing  more  than  despisa- 
ble,  or,  what's  the  same  thing,  a  peddler  without  house, 
pack,  or  money.  It  might  be  hard  for  a  man  to  get  a 
wife  at  all  in  such  a  predicary — don't  you  think  it  would, 
Miss  Peyton?" 

"I  seldom  trouble  myself  with  such  things,"  said  the 
lady,  gravely. 

During  this  dialogue  Captain  Lawton  had  been  s1 
ing  the  countenance  and  manner  of  the  housekeeper,  wil 
a  most  ludicrous  gravity;  and  fearful  the  conversation 
would  cease,  he  inquired,  with  an  appearance  of  great 

interest: 

"You  think  it  was  age  and  debility  that  reraovec 

old  gentleman  at  last?" 


140  THE  SPY 

"And  the  troublesome  times.  Trouble  is  a  heavy  pull 
down  to  a  sick-bed;  but  I  suppose  his  time  had  come,  and 
when  that  happens,  it  matters  but  little  what  doctor's 
stuff  we  take. ' ' 

"Let  me  set  you  right  in  that  particular,"  interrupted 
the  surgeon;  "we  must  all  die,  it  is  true,  but  it  is  per 
mitted  us  to  use  the  lights  of  science,  in  arresting  dan 
gers  as  they  occur  until " 

"We  can  die  secundum  artem,"  cried  the  trooper. 

To  this  observation  the  physician  did  not  deign  to 
reply,  but  deeming  it  necessary  to  his  professional  dig 
nity  that  the  conversation  should  continue,  he  added: 

"Perhaps,  in  this  instance,  judicious  treatment  might 
have  prolonged  the  life  of  the  patient.  Who  administered 
to  the  case?" 

"No  one  yet,"  said  the  housekeeper,  with  quickness; 
"I  expect  he  has  made  his  last  will  in  the  testament." 

The  surgeon  disregarded  the  smile  of  the  ladies,  and 
pursued  his  inquiries. 

"It  is  doubtless  wise  to  be  prepared  for  death.  But 
under  whose  care  was  the  sick  man  during  his  indisposi 
tion?" 

"Under  mine,"  answered  Katy,  with  an  air  of  a  little 
importance;  "and  care  thrown  away  I  may  well  call  it; 
for  Harvey  is  quite  too  despisable  to  be  any  sort  of  com 
pensation  at  present." 

The  mutual  ignorance  of  each  other's  meaning  made 
very  little  interruption  to  the  dialogue,  for  both  took  a 
good  deal  for  granted,  and  Sitgreaves  pursued  the  sub 
ject. 

"And  how  did  you  treat  him?" 

"Kindly,  you  may  be  certain,"  said  Katy,  rather 
tartly. 

"The  doctor  means  medically,  madam,"  observed  Cap 
tain  Lawton,  with  a  face  that  would  have  honored  the 
funeral  of  the  deceased. 

"I  doctored  him  mostly  with  yarbs, "  said  the  house 
keeper,  smiling,  as  if  conscious  of  error. 

"With  simples,"  returned  the  surgeon;  "they  are  safer 
in  the  hands  of  the  unlettered  than  more  powerful  reme 
dies;  but  why  had  you  no  regular  attendant?" 


THE  SPY  141 

"I'm  sure  Harvey  has  suffered  enough  already  from 
having  so  much  concerns  with  the  rig'lars,"  replied  the 
housekeeper;  "he  has  lost  his  all,  and  made  himself  a 
vagabond  through  the  land;  and  I  have  reason  to  rue  the 
day  I  ever  crossed  the  threshold  of  his  house." 

"Dr.  Sitgreaves  does  not  mean  a  rig'lar  soldier,  but  a 
regular  physician,  madam,"  said  the  trooper. 

"Oh!"  cried  the  maiden,  again  correcting  herself, 
"for  the  best  of  all  reasons:  there  was  none  to  be  had,  so 
I  took  care  of  him  myself.  If  there  had  been  a  doctor  at 
hand,  I  am  sure  we  would  gladly  have  had  him;  for  my 
part,  I  am  clear  for  doctoring,  though  Harvey  says  I  am 
killing  myself  with  medicines;  but  I  am  sure  it  will 
make  but  little  difference  to  him,  whether  I  live  or 
die." 

"Therein  you  show  your  sense,"  said  the  surgeon,  ap 
proaching  the  spinster,  who  sat  holding  the  palms  of  her 
hands  and  the  soles  of  her  feet  to  the  genial  heat  of  a  fine 
fire,  making  the  most  of  comfort  amid  all  her  troubles; 
"you  appear  to  be  a  sensible,  discreet  woman,  and  some 
who  have  had  opportunities  of  acquiring  more  correct 
views  might  envy  you  your  respect  for  knowledge  and  the 
lights  of  science." 

Although  the  housekeeper  did  not  altogether  compre 
hend  the  other's  meaning,  she  knew  he  used  a  compli 
ment,  and  as  such  was  highly  pleased  with  what  he  said; 
with  increased  animation,  therefore,  she  cried,  "It  was 
always  said  of  me,  that  I  wanted  nothing  but  opportunity 
to  make  quite  a  physician  myself;  so  long  as  before  I 
came  to  live  with  Harvey's  father,  they  called  me  the 
petticoat  doctor." 

"More  true  than  civil,  I  dare  say,"  returned  the  sur 
geon,  losing  sight  of  the  woman's  character  in  his  admira 
tion  of  her  respect  for  the  healing  art.     "In  the  absence 
of  more  enlightened  counsellors,  the  experience  of  a  dis 
creet  matron  is  frequently  of  great  efficacy  in  checl 
the  progress  of  disease;  under  such  circumstances,  madam, 
it   is   dreadful   to   have  to  contend  with  ignorance  am 

obstinacy. ' ' 

"Bad  enough   as  I  well  know  from  experience,     en 
Katy,   in  triumph:  "Harvey  is  as  obstinate  about  such 


142  THE  SPY 

things  as  a  dumb  beast;  one  would  think  the  care  I  took 
of  his  bedridden  father  might  learn  him  better  than  to 
despise  good  nursing.  But  some  day  he  may  know 
what  it  is  to  want  a  careful  woman  in  his  house,  though 
now  I  am  sure  he  is  too  despisable  himself  to  have  a 
house. ' ' 

"Indeed,  I  can  easily  comprehend  the  mortification  you 
must  have  felt  in  having  one  so  self-willed  to  deal  with, " 
returned  the  surgeon,  glancing  his  eyes  reproachfully  at 
his  comrade;  "but  you  should  rise  superior  to  such  opin 
ions,  and  pity  the  ignorance  by  which  they  are  engen 
dered." 

The  housekeeper  hesitated  a  moment,  at  a  loss  to  com 
prehend  all  that  the  surgeon  expressed,  yet  she  felt  it  was 
both  complimentary  and  kind;  therefore,  suppressing  her 
natural  flow  of  language  a  little,  she  replied: 

"I  tell  Harvey  his  conduct  is  often  condemnable,  and 
last  night  he  made  my  words  good;  but  the  opinions  of 
such  unbelievers  is  not  very  consequential;  yet  it  is 
dreadful  to  think  how  he  behaves  at  times:  now,  when  he 
threw  away  the  needle — 

"What!"  said  the  surgeon,  interrupting  her,  "does  he 
affect  to  despise  the  needle?  But  it  is  my  lot  to  meet 
with  men,  daily,  who  are  equally  perverse,  and  who  show 
a  still  more  culpable  disrespect  for  the  information  that 
flows  from  the  lights  of  science." 

The  doctor  turned  his  face  towards  Captain  Lawton 
while  speaking,  but  the  elevation  of  the  head  prevented 
his  eyes  from  resting  on  the  grave  countenance  main 
tained  by  the  trooper.  Katy  listened  with  admiring  at 
tention,  and  when  the  other  had  done,  she  added: 

"Then  Harvey  is  a  disbeliever  in  the  tides." 

"Not  believe  in  the  tides!"  repeated  the  healer  of 
bodies  in  astonishment;  "does  the  man  distrust  his  senses? 
but  perhaps  it  is  the  influence  of  the  moon  that  he 
doubts." 

"That  he  does!"  exclaimed  Katy,  shaking  with  delight 
at  meeting  with  a  man  of  learning,  who  could  support 
her  favorite  opinions.  "If  you  was  to  hear  him  talk, 
you  would  think  he  didn't  believe  there  was  such  a  thing 
as  a  moon  at  all." 


THE  SPY  143 


madamthat  7°  °{   ign°rance  and  incredulity, 

madam,   that   they   feed    themselves.     The   mind     MM 

tTon  anH  ^V  inf°rmation'  insensibly  leans  To  supe"^ 
tion  and  conclusions  on  the  order  of  nature  that  are 
not  less  prejudicial  to  the  cause  of  truth  than 
are  at  variance  with  the  first  principles  of  human 


The  spinster  was  too  much  awe-struck  to  venture  an 
undigested  reply  to  this  speech;  and  the  surgeon   after 

°f  philos°Phical   di>sdain, 


+u  "T-  jat  any  man  in  his  senses  can  doubt  of  the  flux  of 
the  tides  is  more  than  I  could  have  thought  possible-  yet 
obstinacy  is  a  dangerous  inmate  to  harbor,  and  may  'lead 
us  into  any  error,  however  gross." 

''You  think,  then,  they  have  an  effect  on  the  flux?" 
said  the  housekeeper,  inquiringly. 

Miss  Peyton  rose  and  beckoned  her  nieces  to  give  her 
their  assistance  in  the  adjoining  pantry,  while  for  a 
moment  the  dark  visage  of  the  attentive  Lawton  was 
lighted  by  an  animation  that  vanished  by  an  effort,  as 
powerful,  and  as  sudden,  as  the  one  that  drew  it  into 
being. 

After  reflecting  whether  he  rightly  understood  the 
meaning  of  the  other,  the  surgeon,  making  due  allowance 
for  the  love  of  learning,  acting  upon  a  want  of  education, 
replied: 

"The  moon,  you  mean;  many  philosophers  have  doubted 
how  far  it  affects  the  tides;  but  I  think  it  is  wilfully 
rejecting  the  lights  of  science  not  to  believe  it  causes 
both  the  flux  and  reflux." 

As  reflux  was  a  disorder  with  which  Katy  was  not 
acquainted,  she  thought  it  prudent  to  be  silent;  yet  burn 
ing  with  curiosity  to  know  the  meaning  of  certain  porten 
tous  lights  to  which  the  other  so  often  alluded,  she  ven 
tured  to  ask: 

"If  them  lights  he  spoke  of,  were  what  was  called 
northern  lights  in  these  parts?" 

In  charity  to  her  ignorance,  the  surgeon  would  have 
entered  into  an  elaborate  explanation  of  his  meaning,  had 
he  not  been  interrupted  by  the  mirth  of  Lawton.  The 


144  THE  SPY 

trooper  had  listened  so  far  with  great  composure;  but 
now  he  laughed  until  his  aching  bones  reminded  him  of 
his  fall,  and  the  tears  rolled  over  his  cheeks  in  larger 
drops  than  had  ever  been  seen  there  before.  At  length 
the  offended  physician  seized  an  opportunity  of  a  pause  to 
say: 

"To  you,  Captain  Lawton,  it  may  be  a  source  of  tri 
umph,  that  an  uneducated  woman  should  make  a  mistake 
in  a  subject  on  which  men  of  science  have  long  been  at 
variance;  but  yet  you  find  this  respectable  matron  does 
not  reject  the  lights — does  not  reject  the  use  of  proper 
instruments  in  repairing  injuries  sustained  by  the  human 
frame.  You  may  possibly  remember,  sir,  her  allusion  to 
the  use  of  the  needle. ' ' 

"Aye,"  cried  the  delighted  trooper,  "to  mend  the 
peddler's  breeches." 

Katy  drew  up  in  evident  displeasure,  and  prompt  to 
vindicate  her  character  for  more  lofty  acquirements,  she 
said: 

"'Twas  not  a  common  use  that  I  put  that  needle  to — 
but  one  of  much  greater  virtue. ' ' 

"Explain  yourself,  madam,"  said  the  surgeon  impa 
tiently,  "that  this  gentleman  may  see  how  little  reason 
he  has  for  exultation." 

Thus  solicited,  Katy  paused  to  collect  sufficient  elo 
quence  to  garnish  her  narrative.  The  substance  of  her 
tale  was,  that  a  child  who  had  been  placed  by  the  guar 
dians  of  the  poor  in  the  keeping  of  Harvey,  had,  in  the 
absence  of  his  master,  injured  itself  badly  in  the  foot  by 
a  large  needle.  The  offending  instrument  had  been  care 
fully  greased,  wrapped  in  woollen,  and  placed  in  a  certain 
charmed  nook  of  the  chimney;  while  the  foot,  from  a 
fear  of  weakening  the  incantation,  was  left  in  a  state  of 
nature.  The  arrival  of  the  peddler  had  altered  the  whole 
of  this  admirable  treatment;  and  the  consequences  were 
expressed  by  Katy,  as  she  concluded  her  narrative,  by 
saying: 

"Twas  no  wonder  the  boy  died  of  a  lockjaw!" 

Dr.  Sitgreaves  looked  out  of  the  window  in  admiration 
of  the  brilliant  morning,  striving  all  he  could  to  avoid 
the  basilisk  eyes  of  his  comrade.  He  was  impelled,  by  a 


THE  SPY  145 

feeling  that  he  could  not  conquer,  however,  to  look  Cap 
tain  Lawton  in  the  face.  The  trooper  had  arranged  every 
muscle  of  his  countenance  to  express  sympathy  for  the 
fate  of  the  poor  child;  but  the  exultation  of  his  eyes  cut 
the  astounded  man  of  science  to  the  quick;  he  muttered 
something  concerning  the  condition  of  his  patients,  and 
retreated  with  precipitation. 

Miss  Peyton  entered  into  the  situation  of  things  at  the 
house  of  the  peddler,  with  all  the  interest  of  her  excellent 
feelings;  she  listened  patiently  while  Katy  recounted, 
more  particularly,  the  circumstances  of  the  past  night 
as  they  had  occurred.  The  spinster  did  not  forget  to 
dwell  on  the  magnitude  of  the  pecuniary  loss  sustained 
by  Harvey,  and  in  no  manner  spared  her  invectives  at 
his  betraying  a  secret  which  might  so  easily  have  been 
kept. 

"For,  Miss  Peyton,"  continued  the  housekeeper,  after 
a  pause  to  take  breath,  "I  would  have  given  up  life  be 
fore  I  would  have  given  up  that  secret.  At  the  most,  they 
could  only  have  killed  him,  and  now  a  body  may  say  that 
they  have  slain  both  soul  and  body;  or  what's  the  same 
thing,  they  have  made  him  a  despisable  vagabond, 
wonder  who  he  thinks  would  be  his  wife,  or  who  would 
keep  his  house.  For  my  part,  my  good  name  is  too  pre 
cious  to  be  living  with  a  lone  man;  though,  for  the  mat 
ter  of  that,  he  is  never  there.  I  am  resolved  to  tell  him 
this  day,  that  stay  there  a  single  woman,  I  will  not  an 
hour  after  the  funeral;  and  marry  him  I  don't  think  I 
will,  unless  he  becomes  steadier,  and  more  of  a  home 
body." 

The  mild  mistress  of  the  Locusts  suffered  the  exuber 
ance  of  the  housekeeper's  feeling  to  expend  itself,  and 
then,  by  one  or  two  judicious  questions,  that  denoted  a 
more  intimate  knowledge  of  the  windings  of  the  human 
heart  in  matters  of  Cupid,  than  might  fairly  be  supposed 
to  belong  to  a  spinster,  she  extracted  enough  from  i 
to  discover  the  improbability  of  Harvey's  ever  presuming 
to  offer  himself,  with  his  broken  fortunes,  to  the  accept 
ance  of  Katharine  Haynes.     She  therefore  mentioned  1 
own  want  of  assistance  in  the  present  state  of  her 
hold   and  expressed  a  wish  that  Katy  would  change  1 


10 


146  THE   SPY 

residence  to  the  Locusts,  in  case  the  peddler  had  no 
further  use  for  her  services.  After  a  few  preliminary 
conditions  en  the  part  of  the  wary  housekeeper,  the 
arrangement  was  concluded;  and  making  a  few  more 
piteous  lamentations  on  the  weight  of  her  own  losses,  and 
the  stupidity  of  Harvey,  united  with  some  curiosity  to 
know  the  future  fate  of  the  peddler,  Katy  withdrew  to 
make  the  necessary  preparations  for  the  approaching 
funeral,  which  was  to  take  place  that  day. 

During  the  interview  between  the  two  females,  Law- 
ton,  through  delicacy,  had  withdrawn.  Anxiety  took  him 
to  the  room  of  Captain  Singleton.  The  character  of  this 
youth,  it  has  already  been  shown,  endeared  him  in  a  pe 
culiar  manner  to  every  officer  in  the  corps.  The  singu 
larly  mild  deportment  of  the  young  dragoon  had  on  so 
many  occasions  been  proved  not  to  proceed  from  want  of 
resolution,  that  his  almost  feminine  softness  of  manner 
and  appearance  had  failed  to  bring  him  into  disrepute, 
even  in  that  band  of  partisan  warriors. 

To  the  major  he  was  as  dear  as  a  brother,  and  his  easy  sub 
mission  to  the  directions  of  his  surgeon  had  made  him  a 
marked  favorite  with  Dr.  Sitgreaves.  The  rough  usage 
the  corps  often  received  in  its  daring  attacks,  had  brought 
each  of  its  officers,  in  succession,  under  the  temporary 
keeping  of  the  surgeon.  To  Captain  Singleton  the  man 
of  science  had  decreed  the  palm  of  docility,  on  such  occa 
sions,  and  Captain  Lawton  he  had  fairly  blackballed.  He 
frequently  declared,  with  unconquerable  simplicity  and 
earnestness  of  manner,  that  it  gave  him  more  pleasure  to 
see  the  former  brought  in  wounded  than  any  officer  in  the 
squadron,  and  that  the  latter  afforded  him  the  least;  a 
compliment  and  condemnation  that  were  usually  received 
by  the  first  of  the  parties  with  a  quiet  smile  of  good 
nature,  and  by  the  last  with  a  grave  bow  of  thanks.  On 
the  present  occasion,  the  mortified  surgeon  and  exulting 
trooper  met  in  the  room  of  Captain  Singleton,  as  a  place 
where  they'could  act  on  common  ground.  Some  time  was 
occupied  in  joint  attentions  to  the  comfort  of  the 
wounded  officer,  and  the  doctor  retired  to  an  apartment 
prepared  for  his  own  accommodation;  here,  within  a  few 
minutes,  he  was  surprised  by  the  entrance  of  Lawton. 


THE  SPY  147 

The  triumph  of  the  trooper  had  been  so  complete,  th:. 
felt  he  could  afford  to  be  generous,  and  commencing  by 
voluntarily  throwing  aside  his  coat,  he  cried  carelessly  ' 
Sitgreaves,  administer  a  little  of  the  aid  of  the  lights 
of  science  to  my  body,  if  you  please." 

The  surgeon  was  beginning  to  feel  this  was  a  subject 
that  was  intolerable,  but  venturing  a  glance  towards  his 
comrade,  he  saw  with  surprise  the  preparations  he  had 
made,  and  an  air  of  sincerity  about  him,  that  was 
unusual  to  his  manner  when  making  such  a  request. 
Changing  his  intended  burst  of  resentment  to  a  tone  of 
civil  inquiry,  he  said: 

'Does  Captain  Lawton  want  anything  at  my  hands?" 
"Look   for  yourself,  my  dear  sir,"  said  the  trooper, 
mildly;  "there  seems  to  be  most  of  the  colors  of  the  rain 
bow  on  this  shoulder." 

"You  have  reason  for  saying  so,"  said  the  other,  hand 
ling  the  part  with  great  tenderness  and  consummate  skill; 
"but  happily  nothing  is  broken.  It  is  wonderful  how 
well  you  escaped!" 

"I  have  been  a  tumbler  from  my  youth,  and  I  am  past 
minding  a  few  falls  from  a  horse;  but,  Sitgreaves,"  he 
added  with  affection,  and  pointing  to  a  scar  on  his  body, 
"do  you  remember  this  bit  of  work?" 

"Perfectly  well,  Jack;  it  was  bravely  obtained,  and 
neatly  extracted ;  but  don't  you  think  I  had  better  apply 
an  oil  to  these  bruises?" 

"Certainly,"  said  Lawton,  with  unexpected  condescen 
sion. 

"Now,  my  dear  boy,"  cried  the  doctor,  exultingly,  as 
he  busied  himself  in  applying  the  remedy  to  the  hurti, 
"do  you  not  think  it  would  have  been  better  to  have  done 
all  this  last  night?" 
"Quite  probable." 

"Yes,  Jack,  but  if  you  had  let  me  perform  the  opera 
tion  of  phlebotomy  when  I  first  saw  you,  it  would  have 
been  of  infinite  service." 

"No  phlebotomy,"  said  the  other,  positively. 
"It  is  not  too  late;  but  a  dose  of  oil  would  carry  off  the 
humors  famously. ' ' 

To   this   the   captain  made   no   reply,  but  grated 


148  THE   SPY 

teeth,  in  a  way  that  showed  the  fortress  of  his  mouth  was 
not  to  be  assailed  without  a  resolute  resistance;  and  the 
experienced  physician  changed  the  subject  by  saying: 

"It  is  a  pity,  John,  that  you  did  not  catch  the  rascal, 
after  the  danger  and  trouble  you  incurred." 

The  captain  of  dragoons  made  no  reply;  and,  while 
placing  some  bandages  on  the  wounded  shoulder,  the  sur 
geon  continued: 

"If  I  have  any  wish  at  all  to  destroy  human  life,  it  is 
to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  that  traitor  hanged." 

"I  thought  your  business  was  to  cure,  and  not  to 
slay, ' '  said  the  trooper,  dryly. 

"Aye!  but  he  has  caused  us  such  heavy  losses  by  his  in 
formation,  that  I  sometimes  feel  a  very  unphilosophical 
temper  towards  that  spy. ' ' 

"You  should  not  encourage  such  feelings  of  animosity 
to  any  of  your  fellow-creatures,"  returned  Lawton,  in  a 
tone  that  caused  the  operator  to  drop  a  pin  he  was  ar 
ranging  in  the  bandages  from  his  hand.  He  looked  the 
patient  in  the  face  to  remove  all  doubts  of  his  identity. 
Finding,  however,  it  was  his  old  comrade  Captain  John 
Lawton,  who  had  spoken,  he  rallied  his  astonished  facul 
ties,  and  proceeded  by  saying: 

"Your  doctrine  is  just,  and  in  general  I  subscribe  to 
it.  But,  John,  my  dear  fellow,  is  the  bandage  easy?" 

"Quite." 

"I  agree  with  you  as  a  whole;  but  as  matter  is  infi 
nitely  divisible,  so  no  case  exists  without  an  exception. 
Lawton,  do  you  feel  easy?" 

"Very." 

"It  is  not  only  cruel  to  the  sufferer,  but  sometimes 
unjust  to  others,  to  take  human  life  where  a  less  punish 
ment  would  answer  the  purpose.  Now,  Jack,  if  you  were 
only — move  your  arm  a  little — if  you  were  only — I  hope 
you  feel  easier,  my  dear  friend?" 

"Much." 

"If,  my  dear  John,  you  would  teach  your  men  to  cut 
with  more  discretion,  it  would  answer  you  the  same  pur 
pose — and  give  me  great  pleasure." 

The  doctor  drew  a  heavy  sigh,  as  he  was  enabled  to  get 
rid  of  what  was  nearest  to  the  heart;  and  the  dragoon 


THE  SPY  149 

coolly  replaced  his  coat,  saying,  with  great  deliberation 
as  he  retired: 

"I  know  no  troop  that  cut  more  judiciously;  they  gen 
erally  shave  from  the  crown  to  the  jaw. ' ' 

The  disappointed  operator  collected  his  instruments,  and 
with  a  heavy  heart  proceeded  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  room 
of  Colonel  Wellmere. 


CHAPTER  XII 

"This  fairy  form  contains  a  soul  as  mighty 
As  that  which  lives  within  a  giant's  frame; 
These  slender  limbs,  that  tremble  like  the  aspen 
At  summer  evening's  sigh,  uphold  a  spirit, 
Which,  roused,  can  tower  to  the  height  of  heaven, 
And  light  those  shining  windows  of  the  face 
With  much  of  heaven's  own  radiance." 

—Duo. 

THE  number  and  character  of  her  guests  had  greatly 
added  to  the  cares  of  Miss  Jeanette  Peyton.  The  morning 
found  them  all  restored,  in  some  measure,  to  their  former 
ease  of  body,  with  the  exception  of  the  youthful  captain 
of  dragoons,  who  had  been  so  deeply  regretted  by  Dun- 
woodie.  The  wound  of  this  officer  was  severe,  though  the 
surgeon  persevered  in  saying  that  it  was  without  danger. 
His  comrade,  we  have  shown,  had  deserted  his  couch; 
and  Henry  Wharton  awoke  from  a  sleep  that  had  been 
undisturbed  by  anything  but  a  dream  of  suffering  ampu 
tation  under  the  hands  of  a  surgical  novice.  As  it  proved, 
however,  to  be  nothing  but  a  dream,  the  youth  found 
himself  much  refreshed  by  his  slumbers:  and  Dr.  Sit- 
greaves  removed  all  further  apprehensions  by  confidently 
pronouncing  that  he  would  be  a  well  man  within  a  fort 
night. 

During  all  this  time  Colonel  Wellmere  did  not  make 
his  appearance;  he  breakfasted  in  his  own  room,  and,  not 
withstanding  certain  significant  smiles  of  the  man  of 
science,  declared  himself  too  much  injured  to  rise  from 
his  bed.  Leaving  him,  therefore,  endeavoring  to  conceal 
his  chagrin  in  the  solitude  of  his  chamber,  the  surgeon 
proceeded  to  the  more  grateful  task  of  sitting  an  hour  by 
the  bedside  of  George  Singleton.  A  slight  flush  was  on 
the  face  of  the  patient  as  the  doctor  entered  the  room, 
and  the  latter  advanced  promptly,  and  laid  his  fingers  on 
the  pulse  of  the  youth,  beckoning  to  him  to  be  silent, 
while  he  muttered  to  himself: 

150 


THE  SPY  151 

"Growing  symptoms  of  a  febrile  pulse— no,  no,  my 
dear  George,  you  must  remain  quiet  and  dumb;  though 
your  eyes  look  better,  and  your  skin  has  even  a  moisture. " 

"Nay,  my  dear  Sitgreaves,"  said  the  youth,  taking  his 
hand,  "you  see  there  is  no  fever  about  me;  look,  is  there 
any  of  Jack  Lawton's  hoarfrost  on  my  tongue?" 

"No,  indeed,"  said  the  surgeon,  clapping  a  spoon  in 
the  mouth  of  the  other,  forcing  it  open,  and  looking  down 
his  throat  as  if  disposed  to  visit  the  interior  in  person; 
"the  tongue  is  well,  and  the  pulse  begins  to  lower  again. 
Ah!  the  bleeding  did  you  good.  Phlebotomy,  is  a  sover 
eign  specific  for  southern  constitutions.  But  that  mad 
cap  Lawton  absolutely  refused  to  be  blooded  for  a  fall  he 
had  from  his  horse  last  night.  Why,  George,  your  case 
is  becoming  singular,"  continued  the  doctor  instinctively 
throwing  aside  his  wig,  "your  pulse  even  and  soft,  your 
skin  moist,  but  your  eye  fiery,  and  cheek  flushed.  Oh!  I 
must  examine  more  closely  into  these  symptoms." 

"Softly,  my  good  friend,  softly,"  said  the  youth,  fall 
ing  back  on  his  pillow,  and  losing  some  of  that  color 
which  alarmed  his  companion;  "I  believe,  in  extracting 
the  ball,  you  did  for  me  all  that  is  required.  I  am  free 
from  pain  and  only  weak,  I  do  assure  you." 

"Captain  Singleton,"  said  the  surgeon,  with  heat,  "it 
is  presumptuous  in  you  to  pretend  to  tell  your  medical 
attendant  when  you  are  free  from  pain:  if  it  be  not  to 
enable  us  to  decide  in  such  matters,  of  what  avail  the 
lights  of  science?  For  shame,  George,  for  shame!  even 
that  perverse  fellow,  John  Lawton,  could  not  behave  with 
more  obstinacy." 

His  patient  smiled,  as  he  gently  repulsed  his  physician 
in  an  attempt  to  undo  the  bandages,  and  with  a  returning 
glow  to  his  cheeks,  inquired: 

"Do,  Archibald,"— a  term  of  endearment  that  seld 
failed  to  soften   the  operator's  heart— "tell  me,   what 
spirit  from  heaven  has  been  gliding  around  my  apart 
ment,  while  I  lay  pretending  to  sleep?" 

"If  any  one  interferes  with  my  patients,     cried 
doctor,  hastily,  "I  will  teach  them,  spirit  or  no^pint, 
what  it  is  to  meddle  with  another  man's  concerns, 
t—my  dear  fellow,  there  was  no  interference 


152  THE   SPY 

nor  any  intended;  see,"  exhibiting  the  bandages,  "every 
thing  is  as  you  left  it — but  it  glided  about  the  room 
with  the  grace  of  a  fairy,  and  the  tenderness  of  an 
angel." 

The  surgeon  having  satisfied  himself  that  everything 
was  as  he  had  left  it,  very  deliberately  resumed  his  seat 
and  replaced  his  wig,  as  he  inquired,  with  a  brevity  that 
would  have  honored  Lieutenant  Mason: 

"Had  it  petticoats,  George?" 

"I  saw  nothing  but  its  heavenly  eyes — its  bloom — its 
majestic  step — its  grace,"  replied  the  young  man,  with 
rather  more  ardor  than  his  surgeon  thought  consistent 
with  his  debilitated  condition;  and  he  laid  his  hand  on 
his  mouth  to  stop  him,  saying,  himself: 

"It  must  have  been  Miss  Jeanette  Peyton — a  lady  of 
fine  accomplishments,  with — hem — with  something  of  the 
kind  of  step  you  speak  of — a  very  complacent  eye;  and  as 
to  the  bloom,  I  dare  say  offices  of  charity  can  summon  as 
fine  a  color  to  her  cheeks,  as  glows  in  the  faces  of  her 
more  youthful  nieces." 

"Nieces?  has  she  nieces,  then?  The  angel  I  saw  may 
be  a  daughter,  a  sister,  or  a  niece — but  never  an  aunt." 

"Hush,  George,  hush;  your  talking  has  brought  your 
pulse  up  again.  You  must  observe  quiet,  and  prepare  for 
a  meeting  with  your  own  sister,  who  will  be  here  within 
an  hour." 

"What,  Isabella!  and  who  sent  for  her?" 

"The  major." 

"Considerate  Dunwoodie!"  murmured  the  exhausted 
youth,  sinking  again  on  his  pillow,  where  the  commands 
of  his  attendant  compelled  him  to  remain  silent. 

Even  Captain  Lawton  had  been  received  with  many  and 
courteous  inquiries  after  the  state  of  his  health,  from  all 
the  members  of  the  family,  when  he  made  his  morning 
entrance;  but  an  invisible  spirit  presided  over  the  com 
forts  of  the  English  colonel.  Sarah  had  shrunk  with  con 
sciousness  from  entering  the  room;  yet  she  knew  the  posi 
tion  of  every  glass,  and  had,  with  her  own  hands,  supplied 
the  contents  of  every  bowl,  that  stood  on  his  table. 

At  the  time  of  our  tale,  we  were  a  divided  people,  and 
Sarah  thought  it  was  no  more  than  her  duty  to  cherish 


THE  SPY  153 

the  institutions  of  that  country  to  which  she  yet  clung  as 
the  land  of  her  forefathers;  but  there  were  other  and  more 
cogent  reasons  for  the  silent  preference  she  was  giving  to 
the  Englishman.  His  image  had  first  filled  the  void  in 
her  youthful  fancy,  and  it  was  an  image  that  was  distin 
guished  by  many  of  those  attractions  that  can  enchain  a 
female  heart.  It  is  true,  he  wanted  the  personal  excel 
lence  of  Peyton  Dunwoodie,  but  his  pretensions  were  far 
from  contemptible.  Sarah  had  moved  about  the  house 
during  the  morning,  casting  frequent  and  longing  glances 
at  the  door  of  Wellmere's  apartment,  anxious  to  learn  the 
condition  of  his  wounds,  and  yet  ashamed  to  inquire;  con 
scious  interest  kept  her  tongue  tied,  until  her  sister,  with 
the  frankness  of  innocence,  had  put  the  desired  question 
to  Dr.  Sitgreaves. 

"Colonel  Wellmere,  "  said  the  operator,  gravely,  "is  in 
what  I  call  a  state  of  free-will,  madam.  He  is  ill,  or  he 
is  well,  as  he  pleases.  His  case,  young  lady,  exceeds  my 
art  to  heal;  and  I  take  it  Sir  Henry  Clinton  is  the  best 
adviser  he  can  apply  to;  though  Major  Dunwoodie  has 
made  the  communication  with  his  leech  rather  difficult.' 

Frances   smiled,  but  averted   her   face,    while  Sarah 
moved,  with   the   grace  of  an  offended  Juno,  from   the 
apartment.     Her  own  room,  however,  afforded  her  but 
little  relief,  and  in  passing  through  the  long  gallery  that 
communicated  with  each  of  the  chambers  of  the  building, 
she  noticed  the  door  of  Singleton's  room  to  be  open. 
wounded  youth  seemed  sleeping,  and  was  alone. 
ventured  lightly  into  the  apartment,  and  busied  hen 
for  a  few  minutes  in  arranging  the  tables,  and  the  nour 
ishment  provided   for  the  patient,  hardly  conscious 
what  she  was  doing,  and  possibly  dreaming  that 
little  feminine  offices  were  performed  for  another.     H 
natural  bloom  was  heightened  by  the  insinuation  of 
surgeon,    nor  was  the   lustre  of  her  eye  in  any  d«*WJ 
diminished.     The  sound  of  the  approaching  footsteps 
S  tgreaves  hastened  her  retreat  down  a  private  stairway 
the  side  of  her  sister.     The  sisters  then  sought  the 
f?esh  air  on  the  piazza;  and  as  they  pursued  the.  r  walk, 
in  arm   the  following  dialogue  took  place. 
ThereTs  something  disagreeable  about  this  surgeon  of 


arm 


154  THE   SPY 

Dunwoodie, "  said  Sarah,  "that  causes  me  to  wish  him 
away  most  heartily." 

Frances  fixed  her  laughing  eyes  on  her  sister;  but  for 
bearing  to  speak,  the  other  readily  construed  their  ex 
pression,  and  hastily  added,  "But  I  forget  he  is  one  of 
your  renowned  corps  of  Virginians,  and  must  be  spoken 
of  reverently. ' ' 

"As  respectfully  as  you  please,  my  dear  sister;  there  is 
but  little  danger  of  exceeding  the  truth." 

"Not  in  your  opinion,"  said  the  elder,  with  a  little 
warmth;  "but  I  think  Mr.  Dunwoodie  has  taken  a  liberty 
that  exceeds  the  rights  of  consanguinity;  he  has  made  our 
father's  house  a  hospital." 

"We  ought  to  be  grateful  that  none  of  the  patients  it 
contains  are  dearer  to  us." 

"Your  brother  is  one." 

"True,  true,"  interrupted  Frances,  blushing  to  the 
eyes;  "but  he  leaves  his  room,  and  thinks  his  wound 
lightly  purchased  by  the  pleasure  of  being  with  his 
friends.  If,"  she  added,  with  a  tremulous  lip,  "this 
dreadful  suspicion  that  is  affixed  to  his  visit  were  re 
moved,  I  could  consider  his  wound  of  little  moment." 

"You  now  have  the  fruits  of  rebellion  brought  home  to 
you;  a  brother  wounded  and  a  prisoner,  and  perhaps  a 
victim;  your  father  distressed,  his  privacy  interrupted, 
and  not  improbably  his  estates  torn  from  him,  on  account 
of  his  loyalty  to  his  king." 

Frances  continued  her  walk  in  silence.  While  facing 
the  northern  entrance  to  the  vale,  her  eyes  were  uni 
formly  fastened  on  the  point  where  the  road  was  sud 
denly  lost  by  the  intervention  of  a  hill;  and  at  each  turn, 
as  she  lost  sight  of  the  spot,  she  lingered  until  an  impa 
tient  movement  of  her  sister  quickened  her  pace  to  an 
even  motion  with  that  of  her  own.  At  length,  a  single 
horse  chaise  was  seen  making  its  way  carefully  among  the 
stones  which  lay  scattered  over  the  country  road  that 
wound  through  the  valley,  and  approached  the  cottage. 
The  color  of  Frances  changed  as  the  vehicle  gradually 
drew  nearer;  and  when  she  was  enabled  to  see  a  female 
form  in  it  by  the  side  of  a  black  in  livery,  her  limbs  shook 
with  an  agitation  that  compelled  her  to  lean  on  Sarah  for 


THE  SPY  156 

support  In  a  few  minutes  the  travellers  approached  the 
gate.  It  was  thrown  open  by  a  dragoon  who  followed  the 
carriage,  and  who  had  been  the  messenger  despatched  by 
Dunwoodie  to  the  father  of  Captain  Singleton.  Miss 
Peyton  advanced  to  receive  their  guest,  and  the  sisters 
united  in  giving  her  the  kindest  welcome;  still  Frances 
could  with  difficulty  withdraw  her  truant  eyes  from  the 
countenance  of  their  visitor.  She  was  young,  and  of  a 
light  and  fragile  form,  but  of  exquisite  proportions. 
Her  eye  was  large,  full,  black,  piercing,  and  at  times  a 
little  wild.  Her  hair  was  luxuriant,  and  as  it  was  with 
out  the  powder  it  was  then  the  fashion  to  wear,  it  fell  in 
raven  blackness.  A  few  of  its  locks  had  fallen  on  her 
cheek,  giving  its  chilling  whiteness  by  the  contrast  a 
more  deadly  character.  Dr.  Sitgreaves  supported  her 
from  the  chaise;  and  when  she  gained  the  floor  of  the 
piazza,  she  turned  an  expressive  look  on  the  face  of  the 
practitioner. 

"Your  brother  is  out  of  danger,  and  wishes  to  see  you, 
Miss  Singleton,"  said  the  surgeon. 

The  lady  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears.  Frances  had  stood 
contemplating  the  action  and  face  of  Isabella  with  a  kind 
of  uneasy  admiration,  but  she  now  sprang  to  her  side 
with  the  ardor  of  a  sister,  and  kindly  drawing  her  arm 
within  her  own,  led  the  way  to  a  retired  room.  The 
movement  was  so  ingenuous,  so  considerate,  and  so  deli 
cate,  that  even  Miss  Peyton  withheld  her  interference, 
following  the  youthful  pair  ^with  only  her  eyes  and  a 
smile  of  complacency.  The  feeling  was  communicated  to 
all  the  spectators,  and  they  dispersed  in  pursuit  of  their 
usual  avocations.  Isabella  yielded  to  the  gentle  influence 
of  Frances  without  resistance;  and,  having  gained  the 
room  where  the  latter  conducted  her,  wept  in  silence  on 
the  shoulder  of  the  observant  and  soothing  girl,  until 
Frances  thought  her  tears  exceeded,  the  emotion  natural 
to  the  occasion.  The  sobs  of  Miss  Singleton  for  a  time 
were  violent  and  uncontrollable,  until,  with  an  evident 
exertion,  she  yielded  to  a  kind  observation  of  her  com 
panion,  and  succeeded  in  suppressing  her  tears, 
her  face  to  the  eyes  of  Frances,  she  rose,  while  a  smile  c 
beautiful  radiance  passed  over  her  features;  and  making 


156  THE   SPY 

a  hasty  apology  for  the  excess  of  her  emotion,  she  desired 
to  be  conducted  to  the  room  of  the  invalid. 

The  meeting  between  the  brother  and  sister  was  warm, 
but,  by  an  effort  on  the  part  of  the  lady,  more  composed 
than  her  previous  agitation  had  given  reason  to  expect. 
Isabella  found  her  brother  looking  better,  and  in  less  dan 
ger  than  her  sensitive  imagination  had  led  her  to  suppose. 
Her  spirits  rose  in  proportion;  from  despondency,  she 
passed  to  something  like  gayety;  her  beautiful  eyes 
sparkled  with  renovated  brilliancy;  and  her  face  was 
lighted  with  smiles  so  fascinating,  that  Frances,  who,  in 
compliance  with  her  earnest  entreaties,  had  accompanied 
her  to  the  sick  chamber,  sat  gazing  on  a  countenance  that 
possessed  so  wonderful  variability,  impelled  by  a  charm 
that  was  beyond  her  control.  The  youth  had  thrown  an 
earnest  look  at  Frances,  as  soon  as  his  sister  raised  her 
self  from  his  arms,  and  perhaps  it  was  the  first  glance  at 
the  lovely  lineaments  of  our  heroine,  when  the  gazer 
turned  his  eyes  from  the  view  in  disappointment.  He 
seemed  bewildered,  rubbed  his  forehead  like  a  man  awak 
ing  from  a  dream,  and  mused. 

"Where  is  Dunwoodie,  Isabella?"  he  said;  "the  excel 
lent  fellow  is  never  weary  of  kind  actions.  After  a  day 
of  such  service  as  that  of  yesterday,  he  had  spent  the 
night  in  bringing  me  a  nurse,  whose  presence  alone  is 
able  to  raise  me  from  my  couch." 

The  expression  of  the  lady's  countenance  changed;  her 
eye  roved  round  the  apartment  with  a  character  of  wild- 
ness  in  it  that  repelled  the  anxious  Frances,  who  studied 
her  movements  with  unabated  interest. 

"Dunwoodie!  is  he  then  not  here?  I  thought  to  have 
met  him  by  the  side  of  my  brother's  bed." 

"He  has  duties  that  require  his  presence  elsewhere ;  the 
English  are  said  to  be  out  by  the  way  of  the  Hudson,  and 
they  give  us  light  troops  but  little  rest:  surely  nothing 
else  could  have  kept  him  so  long  from  a  wounded  friend. 
But,  Isabella,  the  meeting  has  been  too  much  for  you; 
you  tremble." 

Isabella  made  no  reply:  she  stretched  her  hand  towards 
the  table  which  held  the  nourishment  of  the  captain,  and 
the  attentive  Frances  comprehended  her  wishes  in  a  mo- 


THE  SPY  157 

ment.     A  glass  of  water  in  some  measure  revived  the  sis 
ter,  who  was  enabled  to  say: 

"Doubtless  it  is  his  duty.  'Twas  said  above,  a  royal 
party  was  moving  on  the  river;  though  I  passed  the 
troops  but  two  miles  from  this  spot."  The  latter  part  of 
the  sentence  was  hardly  audible,  and  it  was  spoken  more 
in  the  manner  of  a  soliloquy,  than  as  if  intended  for  the 
ears  of  her  companions. 

"On  the  march,  Isabella?"  eagerly  inquired  her  brother. 

"No,  dismounted,  and  seemingly  at  rest,"  was  the 
reply. 

The  wondering  dragoon  turned  his  gaze  on  the  counte 
nance  of  his  sister,  who  sat  with  her  eye  bent  on  the 
carpet  in  unconscious  absence,  but  found  no  explanation. 
His  look  was  changed  to  the  face  of  Frances,  who,  startled 
by  the  earnestness  of  his  expression,  arose,  and  hastily 
inquired  if  he  would  have  any  assistance. 

"If  you  can  pardon  the  rudeness,"  said  the  wounded 
officer,  making  a  feeble  effort  to  raise  his  body,  ' 
request  to   have  Captain  Lawton's  company  for  a  mo 

ment.  '  ' 

Frances  hastened  instantly  to  communicate  his  wu 
that  gentleman,  and,  impelled  by  an  interest  she  could 
not  control,  she  returned  again  to  her  seat  by  t 

1   "Lawton/^said  the  youth,  impatiently,  as  the  trooper 
entered,  "hear  you  from  the  major?' 

The  eve  of  the  sister  was  now  bent  on  the  face  of 
trooper    who  made  his  salutations  to  the  lady  with  ease, 
blended  with  the  frankness  of  a  soldier. 

"His  man  has  been  here  twice,"  he  said, 
how  we  fared  in  the  Lazaretto." 


"es  can  answer  best;  but  yo, 

know  the  red  coats  are  abroad,  and  Dunwoodie  command 


158  THE   SPY 

is  another  reason  I  could  mention,  if  it  were  not  that 
Miss  Wharton  would  never  forgive  me. ' ' 

"Speak,  I  beg,  without  dread  of  my  displeasure,"  said 
Frances,  returning  the  good-humored  smile  of  the  trooper, 
with  the  archness  natural  to  her  own  sweet  face. 

"The  odors  of  your  kitchen,  then,"  cried  Lawton, 
bluntly,  "forbid  my  quitting  the  domains,  until  I  qualify 
myself  to  speak  with  more  certainty  concerning  the  fat 
ness  of  the  land." 

"Oh!  Aunt  Jeanette  is  exerting  herself  to  do  credit  to 
my  father's  hospitality,"  said  the  laughing  girl,  "and  I 
am  a  truant  from  her  labors,  as  I  shall  be  a  stranger  to 
her  favor,  unless  I  proffer  my  assistance. ' ' 

Frances  withdrew  to  seek  her  aunt,  musing  deeply  on 
the  character  and  extreme  sensibility  of  the  new  acquaint 
ance  chance  had  brought  to  the  cottage. 

The  wounded  officer  followed  her  with  his  eyes,  as  she 
moved,  with  infantile  grace,  through  the  door  of  his 
apartment,  and  as  she  vanished  from  his  view,  he  ob 
served  : 

"Such  an  aunt  and  niece  are  seldom  to  be  met  with, 
Jack;  this  seems  a  fairy,  but  the  aunt  is  angelic." 

"You  are  doing  well,  I  see;  your  enthusiasm  for  the 
sex  holds  its  own." 

"I  should  be  ungrateful  as  well  as  insensible,  did  I  not 
bear  testimony  to  the  loveliness  of  Miss  Peyton." 

"A  good  motherly  lady,  but  as  to  love,  that  is  a  matter 
of  taste.  A  few  years  younger,  with  deference  to  her 
prudence  and  experience,  would  accord  better  with  my 
fancy. ' ' 

' '  She  must  be  under  twenty, ' '  said  the  other,  quickly. 

"It  depends  on  the  way  you  count.  If  you  begin  at  the 
heel  of  life,  well;  but  if  you  reckon  downward,  as  is  most 
common,  I  think  she  is  nearer  forty. ' ' 

"You  have  mistaken  an  elder  sister  for  the  aunt,"  said 
Isabella,  laying  her  fair  hand  on  the  mouth  of  the  in 
valid;  "you  must  be  silent!  your  feelings  are  beginning 
to  affect  your  frame. ' ' 

The  entrance  of  Dr.  Sitgreaves,  who,  in  some  alarm, 
noticed  the  increase  of  feverish  symptoms  in  his  patient, 
enforced  this  mandate;  and  the  trooper  withdrew  to  pay 


THE  SPY  159 

a  visit  of  condolence  to  Roanoke,  who  had  been  an  equal 
sufferer  with  himself  in  their  last  night's  somerset.  To 
his  great  joy,  his  man  pronounced  the  steed  to  be  equally 
convalescent  with  the  master;  and  Lawton  found  that  by 
dint  of  rubbing  the  animal's  limbs  several  hours  without 
ceasing,  he  was  enabled  to  place  his  feet  in  what  he  called 
systematic  motion.  Orders  were  accordingly  given  to  be 
in  readiness  to  rejoin  the  troop  at  the  Four  Corners,  as 
soon  as  his  master  had  shared  in  the  bounty  of  the 
approaching  banquet. 

In  the  meantime,  Henry  Wharton  entered1  the  apart 
ment  of  Wellmere,  and  by  his  sympathy  succeeded  in 
restoring  the  colonel  to  his  own  good  graces.  The  latter 
was  consequently  enabled  to  rise,  and  prepared  to  meet  a 
rival  of  whom  he  had  spoken  so  lightly,  and,  as  the  result 
had  proved,  with  so  little  reason.  Wharton  knew  that 
their  misfortune,  as  they  both  termed  their  defeat,  was 
owing  to  the  other's  rashness;  but  he  forbore  to  speak  of 
anything  except  the  unfortunate  accident  which  had  de 
prived  the  English  of  their  leader,  and  to  which  he  good- 
naturedly  ascribed  their  subsequent  discomfiture. 

"In  short,  Wharton,"  said  the  colonel,  putting  one  leg 
out  of  bed,  "it  may  be  called  a  combination  of  untoward 
events ;  your  own  ungovernable  horse  prevented  my  orders 
from  being  carried  to  the  major,  in  season  to  flank  the 
rebels." 

"Very  true,"  replied  the  captain,  kicking  a  slipper  t 
wards  the  bed;  "had  we  succeeded  in  getting  a  few  good 
fires  upon  them  in  flank,  we  should  have  sent  these  brave 
Virginians  to  the  right  about." 

"Aye,  and  that  in  double  quick  time,"  cried  the  cole 
making  the  other  leg  follow  its  companion;   "then  it  was 
necessary  to  rout  the  guides,  you  know,  and  the  move 
ment  gave  them  the  best  possible  opportunity  to  charge. 

"Yes  "  said  the  other,  sending  the  second  slipper  affc 
the  first;  "and  this  Major  Dunwoodie  never  overlo 
advantage. "  , , 

"I  think  if  we  had  the  thing  to  do  over  again, 
tinued  the  colonel,  raising  himself  on  his  feet,  "we 
alter  the  case  very  materially;  though  the  chief 
rebels  have  now  to  boast  of  is  my  capture,  they  we« 


160  THE   SPY 

repulsed,  you  saw,  in  their  attempt  to  drive  us  from  the 
wood." 

"At  least  they  would  have  been  had  they  made  an  at 
tack,"  said  the  captain,  throwing  the  rest  of  his  clothes 
within  reach  of  the  colonel. 

"Why,  that  is  the  same  thing,"  returned  Wellmere, 
beginning  to  dress  himself;  "to  assume  such  an  attitude 
as  to  intimidate  your  enemy,  is  the  chief  art  of  war." 

"Doubtless,  then,  you  may  remember  in  one  of  their 
charges  they  were  completely  routed." 

"True — true,"  cried  the  colonel,  with  animation;  "had 
I  been  there  to  have  improved  that  advantage,  we  might 
have  turned  the  table  on  the  Yankees;"  saying  which 
he  displayed  still  greater  animation  in  completing  his 
toilette;  and  he  was  soon  prepared  to  make  his  appear 
ance,  fully  restored  to  his  own  good  opinion,  and  fairly 
persuaded  that  his  capture  was  owing  to  casualties  abso 
lutely  beyond  the  control  of  man. 

The  knowledge  that  Colonel  Wellmere  was  to  be  a  guest 
at  the  table,  in  no  degree  diminished  the  preparations 
which  were  already  making  for  the  banquet;  and  Sarah, 
after  receiving  the  compliments  of  the  gentleman,  and 
making  many  kind  inquiries  after  the  state  of  his  wounds, 
proceeded  in  person  to  lend  her  counsel  and  taste  to  one 
of  those  labored  entertainments,  which,  at  that  day,  were 
so  frequent  in  country  life,  and  which  are  not  entirely 
banished  from  our  domestic  economy  at  the  present 
moment. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

"I  will  stand  to  and  feed, 
Although  my  last." 

—TEMPEST. 

THE  savor  of  preparation  which  had  been  noticed  by 
Captain  Lawton,  began  to  increase  within  the  walls  of  the 
cottage;  certain  sweet-smelling  odors,  that  arose  from 
the  subterranean  territories  of  Caesar,  gave  to  the  trooper 
the  most  pleasing  assurances  that  his  olfactory  nerves, 
which  on  such  occasions  were  as  acute  as  his  eyes  on 
others,  had  faithfully  performed  their  duty;  and  for  the 
benefit  of  enjoying  the  passing  sweets  as  they  arose,  the 
dragoon  so  placed  himself  at  a  window  of  the  building, 
that  not  a  vapor  charged  with  the  spices  of  the  East  could 
exhale  on  its  passage  to  the  clouds,  without  first  giving 
its  incense  to  his  nose.  Lawton,  however,  by  no  means 
indulged  himself  in  this  comfortable  arrangement,  with 
out  first  making  such  preparations  to  do  meet  honor  to 
the  feast,  as  his  scanty  wardrobe  would  allow.  The  uni 
form  of  his  corps  was  always  a  passport  to  the  best  tables, 
and  this,  though  somewhat  tarnished  by  faithful  service 
and  unceremonious  usage,  was  properly  brushed  and 
decked  out  for  the  occasion.  His  head,  which  nature  had 
ornamented  with  the  blackness  of  a  crow,  now  shone  with 
the  whiteness  of  snow:  and  his  bony  hand,  that  so  well 
became  the  sabre,  peered  from  beneath  a  ruffle  with  some 
thing  like  maiden  coyness.  The  improvements  of  the 
dragoon  went  no  farther,  excepting  that  his  boots  shone 
with  more  than  holiday  splendor,  and  his  spurs  glittered 
in  the  rays  of  the  sun,  as  became  the  pure  ore  of  which 
they  were  composed. 

Csesar  moved  through  the  apartments  with  a  face 
charged  with  an  importance  exceeding  even  that  which 
had  accompanied  him  in  his  melancholy  task  of  the  morn- 

1G1 


u 


162  THE   SPY 

ing.  The  black  had  early  returned  from  the  errand  on 
which  he  had  been  despatched  by  the  peddler,  and,  obedi 
ent  to  the  commands  of  his  mistress,  promptly  appeared 
to  give  his  services  where  his  allegiance  was  due;  so  se 
rious,  indeed,  was  his  duty  now  becoming,  that  it  was 
only  at  odd  moments  he  was  enabled  to  impart  to  his 
sable  brother,  who  had  been  sent  in  attendance  on  Miss 
Singleton  to  the  Locusts,  any  portion  of  the  wonderful 
incidents  of  the  momentous  night  he  had  so  lately  passed. 
By  ingeniously  using,  however,  such  occasions  as  acci 
dentally  offered,  Caesar  communicated  so  many  of  the 
heads  of  his  tale,  as  served  to  open  the  eyes  of  his  visitor 
to  their  fullest  width.  The  gusto  for  the  marvellous  was 
innate  in  these  sable  worthies;  and  Miss  Peyton  found  it 
necessary  to  interpose  her  authority,  in  order  to  postpone 
the  residue  of  the  history  to  a  more  befitting  opportunity. 

"Ah!  Miss  Jinnette, "  said  Caesar,  shaking  his  head, 
and  looking  all  that  he  expressed,  "'twas  awful  to  see 
Johnny  Birch  walk  on  a  feet  when  he  lie  dead!" 

This  concluded  the  conversation;  though  the  black 
promised  himself  the  satisfaction,  and  did  not  fail  to 
enjoy  it,  of  having  many  a  good  gossip  on  the  solemn  sub 
ject  at  a  future  period. 

The  ghost  thus  happily  laid,  the  department  of  Miss 
Peyton  flourished;  and  by  the  time  the  afternoon's  sun 
had  travelled  a  two  hours'  journey  from  the  meridian, 
the  formal  procession  from  the  kitchen  to  the  parlor 
commenced,  under  the  auspices  of  Caesar,  who  led  the 
van,  supporting  a  turkey  on  the  palms  of  his  withered 
hands,  with  the  dexterity  of  a  balance-master. 

Next  followed  the  servant  of  Captain  Lawton,  bearing, 
as  he  marched  stiffly,  and  walking  wide,  as  if  allowing 
room  for  his  steed,  a  ham  of  true  Virginian  flavor;  a 
present  from  the  spinster's  brother  in  Accomac.  The  sup 
porter  of  this  savory  dish  kept  his  eye  on  his  trust  with 
military  precision;  and  by  the  time  he  reached  his  destina 
tion,  it  might  be  difficult  to  say  which  contained  the  most 
juice,  his  own  mouth  or  the  Accomac  bacon. 

Third  in  the  line  was  to  be  seen  the  valet  of  Colonel 
Wellmere,  who  carried  in  either  hand  chickens  fricasseed, 
and  oyster  patties. 


THE  SPY  163 

After  him  marched  the  attendant  of  Dr.  Sitgreaves, 
who  had  instinctively  seized  an  enormous  tureen,  as  most 
resembling  matters  he  understood,  and  followed  on  in 
place,  until  the  steams  of  the  soup  so  completely  be- 
dimmed  the  spectacles  he  wore,  as  a  badge  of  office,  that, 
on  arriving  at  the  scene  of  action,  he  was  compelled  to 
deposit  his  freight  on  the  floor,  until,  by  removing  the 
glasses,  he  could  see  his  way  through  the  piles  of  reserved 
china  and  plate-warmers. 

Next  followed  another  trooper,  whose  duty  it  was  to 
attend  on  Captain  Singleton;  and,  as  if  apportioning  his 
appetite  to  the  feeble  state  of  his  master,  he  had  con 
tented  himself  with  conveying  a  pair  of  ducks,  roasted, 
until  their  tempting  fragrance  began  to  make  him  repent 
his  having  so  lately  demolished  a  breakfast  that  had  been 
provided  for  his  master's  sister,  with  another  prepared 
for  himself. 

The  white  boy,  who  belonged  to  the  house,  brought  up 
the  rear,  groaning  under  a  load  of  sundry  dishes  of  vege 
tables,  that  the  cook,  by  way  of  climax,  had  unwittingly 
heaped  on  him. 

But  this  was  far  from  all  of  the  preparations  for  that 
day's   feast.     Caesar  had  no  sooner  deposited  his  bird, 
which,  but  the  week  before,  had  been  flying  among  the 
highlands  of  Dutchess,  little  dreaming  of  so  soon  heading 
such  a  goodly  assemblage,  than  he  turned  mechanically 
on  his  heel,  and  took  up  his  line  of  march  again  for  the 
kitchen.     In  this  evolution  the  black  was  imitated 
his   companions   in  succession,    and   another  procession 
to  the  parlor  followed  in  the  same  order.     By  this 
mirable  arrangement,  whole  flocks  of  pigeons,  certa 
bevies   of  quails,    shoals  of  flat-fish,  bass,    and  sundry 
woodcock,   found   their  way   into  the   presence 


r    attack  brought  suitable  quantities  of  potatoes, 
onions,  beets,  cold-slaw,  rice,  and  all  the  other  mi 

0fThf°board  novv  fairly  groaned  with  American  profusion, 
and  Caesar  dancing  his  eye  over  the  show  with  a  most 
approving  'conscLfe,  after"  readjusting  every  dish  that 
had  not  been  placed  on  the  table  with  his  own  hands,  pro- 


164  THE   SPY 

ceeded  to  acquaint  the  mistress  of  the  revels  that  his  task 
was  happily  accomplished. 

Some  half-hour  before  the  culinary  array  just  recorded 
took  place,  all  the  ladies  disappeared,  much  in  the  same 
unaccountable  manner  that  swallows  flee  the  approach  of 
winter.  But  the  spring-time  of  their  return  had  arrived, 
and  the  whole  party  were  collected  in  an  apartment  that, 
in  consequence  of  its  containing  no  side-table,  and  being 
furnished  with  a  chintz  coverlet  settee,  was  termed  a 
withdrawing-room. 

The  kind-hearted  spinster  had  deemed  the  occasion  wor 
thy  not  only  of  extraordinary  preparations  in  the  culi 
nary  department,  but  had  seen  proper  to  deck  her  own 
person  in  garments  suited  to  the  guests  whom  it  was  now 
her  happiness  to  entertain. 

On  her  head  Miss  Peyton  wore  a  cap  of  exquisite  lawn, 
which  was  ornamented  in  front  with  a  broad  border  of 
lace,  that  spread  from  the  face  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
admit  of  a  display  of  artificial  flowers,  clustered  in  a 
group  on  the  summit  of  her  fine  forehead. 

The  color  of  her  hair  was  lost  in  the  profusion  of  pow 
der  with  which  it  was  covered;  but  a  slight  curling  of  the 
extremities  in  some  degree  relieved  the  formality  of  its 
arrangement,  and  gave  a  look  of  feminine  softness  to  the 
features. 

Her  dress  was  a  rich,  heavy  silk,  of  violet  color,  cut 
low  around  the  bust,  with  a  stomacher  of  the  same  mate 
rial,  that  fitted  close  to  the  figure,  and  exhibited  the 
form,  from  the  shoulders  to  the  waist,  in  its  true  propor 
tions.  Below,  the  dress  was  full,  and  sufficiently  showed 
that  parsimony  in  attire  was  not  a  foible  of  the  day.  A 
small  loop  displayed  the  beauty  of  the  fabric  to  advan 
tage,  and  aided  in  giving  majesty  to  the  figure. 

The  tall  stature  of  the  lady  was  heightened  by  shoes  of 
the  same  material  with  the  dress,  whose  heels  added 
more  than  an  inch  to  the  liberality  of  nature. 

The  sleeves  were  short,  and  close  to  the  limb,  until  they 
fell  off  at  the  elbows  in  large  ruffles,  that  hung  in  rich 
profusion  from  the  arm  when  extended;  and  duplicates 
and  triplicates  of  lawn,  trimmed  with  Dresden  lace,  lent 
their  aid  in  giving  delicacy  to  a  hand  and  arm  that  yet 


THE  SPY  165 

retained  their  whiteness  and  symmetry.  A  treble  row  of 
large  pearls  closely  encircled  her  throat;  and  a  handker 
chief  of  lace  partially  concealed  that  part  of  the  person 
that  the  silk  had  left  exposed,  but  which  the  experience 
of  forty  years  had  warned  Miss  Peyton  should  now  be 
veiled. 

Thus  attired,  and  standing  erect  with  the  lofty  grace 
that  distinguished  the  manners  of  that  day,  the  maiden 
would  have  looked  into  nothingness  a  bevy  of  modern 
belles. 

The  taste  of  Sarah  had  kept  even  pace  with  the  decora 
tions  of  her  aunt;  and  a  dress,  differing  in  no  respect 
from  the  one  just  described,  but  in  material  and  tints, 
exhibited  her  imposing  form  to  equal  advantage.  The 
satin  of  her  robe  was  of  a  pale  bluish  color.  Twenty 
years  did  not,  however,  require  the  screen  that  was  pru 
dent  in  forty,  and  nothing  but  an  envious  border  of 
exquisite  lace  hid,  in  some  measure,  what  the  satin  left 
exposed  to  view.  The  upper  part  of  the  bust,  and  the 
fine  fall  of  the  shoulders,  were  blazing  in  all  their  native 
beauty,  and,  like  the  aunt,  the  throat  was  ornamented  by 
a  treble  row  of  pearls,  to  correspond  with  which  were 
rings  of  the  same  quality  in  her  ears.  The  head  was 
without  a  cap,  and  the  hair  drawn  up  from  the  counte 
nance  so  as  to  give  to  the  eye  all  the  loveliness  of  a  fore 
head  as  polished  as  marble  and  as  white  as  snow.  A  few 
straggling  curls  fell  gracefully  on  the  neck,  and  a 
bouquet  of  artificial  flowers  was  also  placed,  like  a  coro 
net,  over  her  brow. 

Miss  Singleton  had  resigned  her  brother  to  the  advic 
of  Dr.  Sitgreaves,  who  had  succeeded  in  getting  his  pa 
tient  into  a  deep  sleep    after  quieting  certain  feverish 
symptoms  that  followed  the  agitation  of  the  interview. 
The  sister  was  persuaded,  by  the  observant  mistres 
the  mansion,  to  make  one  of  the  party,  and  she  sat  by  ti 
side  of  Sarah,  differing  but  little  in  appearance  from  t 
lady,  except  in  refusing  the  use  of  powder  on  her  ™ 
locks,  and  that  her  unusually  high  forehead   and    arg( 
brilliant  eyes,  gave  an  expression  of  thoughtful  ness 
features,  that  was  possibly  heightened  by  the  palena 
her  cheek. 


166  THE   SPY 

Last  and  least,  but  not  the  most  unlovely,  in  this  dis 
play  of  female  charms,  was  the  youngest  daughter  of  Mr. 
Wharton.  Frances,  we  have  already  mentioned,  left  the 
city  before  she  had  attained  to  the  age  of  fashionable 
womanhood.  A  few  adventurous  spirits  were  already 
beginning  to  make  inroads  in  those  customs  which  had  so 
long  invaded  the  comforts  of  the  fair  sex;  and  the  youth 
ful  girl  had  ventured  to  trust  her  beauty  to  the  height 
which  nature  had  bestowed.  This  was  but  little,  but 
that  little  was  a  masterpiece.  Frances  several  times  had 
determined,  in  the  course  of  the  morning,  to  bestow  more 
than  usual  pains  in  the  decoration  of  her  person.  Each 
time,  in  succession,  as  she  formed  this  resolution,  she 
spent  a  few  minutes  in  looking  earnestly  towards  the 
north,  and  then  she  as  invariably  changed  it. 

At  the  appointed  hour,  our  heroine  appeared  in  the 
drawing-room,  clothed  in  a  robe  of  pale  blue  silk,  of  a 
cut  and  fashion  much  like  that  worn  by  her  sister.  Her 
hair  was  left  to  the  wild  curls  of  nature,  its  exuberance 
being  confined  to  the  crown  of  her  head  by  a  long,  low 
comb,  made  of  light  tortoise-shell ;  a  color  barely  dis 
tinguishable  in  the  golden  hue  of  her  tresses.  Her  dress 
was  without  a  plait  or  a  wrinkle,  and  fitted  the  form  with 
an  exactitude  that  might  lead  one  to  imagine  the  arch 
girl  more  than  suspected  the  beauties  it  displayed.  A 
tucker  of  rich  Dresden  lace  softened  the  contour  of  the 
figure.  Her  head  was  without  ornament;  but  around  her 
throat  was  a  necklace  of  gold  clasped  in  front  with  a  rich 
cornelian. 

Once,  and  once  only,  as  they  moved  towards  the  repast, 
did  Lawton  see  a  foot  thrust  itself  from  beneath  the  folds 
of  her  robe,  and  exhibit  its  little  beauties  encased  in  a 
slipper  of  blue  silk,  clasped  close  to  the  shape  by  a  buckle 
of  brilliants.  The  trooper  caught  himself  sighing  as  he 
thought,  though  it  was  good  for  nothing  in  the  stirrup, 
how  enchantingly  it  would  grace  a  minuet. 

As  the  black  appeared  on  the  threshold  of  the  room, 
making  a  low  reverence,  which  has  been  interpreted  for 
some  centuries  into  "dinner  waits,"  Mr.  Wharton,  clad 
in  a  dress  of  drab,  bedecked  with  enormous  buttons, 
advanced  formally  to  Miss  Singleton,  and  bending  his 


THE  SPY  167 

powdered  head  nearly  to  the  level  of  the  hand  he  extended 
received  hers  in  return. 

Dr.  Sitgreaves  offered  the  same  homage  to  Miss  Pey 
ton,  and  met  with  equal  favor;  the  lady  first  pausing  to 
draw  on  her  gloves. 

^  Colonel  Wellmere  was  honored  with  a  smile  from 
Sarah,  while  performing  a  similar  duty;  and  Frances  gave 
the  ends  of  her  taper  fingers  to  Captain  Lawton  with 
maiden  bashfulness. 

Much  time,  and  some  trouble,  were  expended  before 
the  whole  party  were,  to  the  great  joy  of  Csesar,  comfort 
ably  arranged  around  the  table,  with  proper  attention  to 
all  points  of  etiquette  and  precedence.  The  black  well 
knew  the  viands  were  not  improving;  and  though  abun 
dantly  able  to  comprehend  the  disadvantage  of  eating  a 
cold  dinner,  it  greatly  exceeded  his  powers  of  philosophy 
to  weigh  all  the  latent  consequences  to  society  which  de 
pend  on  social  order. 

For  the  first  ten  minutes  all  but  the  captain  of  dragoons 
found  themselves  in  a  situation  much  to  their  liking. 
Even  Lawton  would  have  been  perfectly  happy,  had  not 
excess  of  civility  on  the  part  of  his  host  and  Miss  Jean- 
ette  Peyton  kept  him  from  the  more  agreeable  occupation 
of  tasting  dishes  he  did  want,  in  order  to  decline  those  he 
did  not.  At  length,  however,  the  repast  was  fairly  com 
menced,  and  a  devoted  application  to  the  viands  was  more 
eloquent  than  a  thousand  words  in  favor  of  Dinah's  skill. 

Next  came  drinking  with  the  ladies;  but  as  the  wine 
was  excellent,  and  the  glasses  ample,  the  trooper  bore  this 
interruption  with  consummate  good-nature.  Nay,  so 
fearful  was  he  of  giving  offence,  and  of  omitting  any  of 
the  nicer  points  of  punctilio,  that  having  commenced 
this  courtesy  with  the  lady  who  sat  next  him,  he  perse 
vered  until  not  one  of  his  fair  companions  could,  with 
justice,  reproach  him  with  partiality  in  this  particular. 

Long  abstemiousness  from  anything  like  generous  winr 
might  plead  the  excuse  of  Captain  Lawton,  especially 
when  exposed  to  so  strong  a  temptation  as  that  n»\v 
before  him.  Mr.  Wharton  had  been  one  of  a  set  of  poli 
ticians  in  New  York,  whose  principal  exploits  before  U 
war  had  been  to  assemble,  and  pass  sage  opinions  on  the 


168  THE  SPY 

signs  of  the  times,  under  the  inspiration  of  certain  liquor 
made  from  a  grape  that  grew  on  the  south  side  of  the 
island  of  Madeira,  and  which  found  its  way  into  the  colo 
nies  of  North  America  through  the  medium  of  the  West 
Indies,  sojourning  awhile  in  the  Western  Archipelago,  by 
way  of  proving  the  virtues  of  the  climate.  A  large  sup 
ply  of  this  cordial  had  been  drawn  from  his  storehouse  in 
the  city,  and  some  of  it  now  sparkled  in  a  bottle  before 
the  captain,  blushing  in  the  rays  of  the  sun,  which  were 
passing  obliquely  through  it,  like  amber. 

Though  the  meat  and  vegetables  had  made  their  en 
trance  with  perfect  order  and  propriety,  their  exeunt  was 
affected  much  in  the  manner  of  a  retreat  of  militia.  The 
point  was  to  clear  the  board  something  after  the  fabled 
practice  of  the  harpies,  and  by  dint  of  scrambling,  toss 
ing,  breaking,  and  spilling,  the  remnants  of  the  over 
flowing  repast  disappeared.  And  now  another  series  of 
processions  commenced,  by  virtue  of  which  a  goodly  dis 
play  of  pastry,  with  its  usual  accompaniments,  garnished 
the  table. 

Mr.  Wharton  poured  out  a  glass  of  wine  for  the  lady 
who  sat  on  his  right  hand,  and,  pushing  the  bottle  to  a 
guest,  said,  with  a  low  bow: 

"We  are  to  be  honored  with  a  toast  from  Miss  Single 
ton." 

Although  there  was  nothing  more  in  this  movement 
than  occurred  every  day  on  such  occasions,  yet  the  lady 
trembled,  colored,  and  grew  pale  again,  seemingly  en 
deavoring  to  rally  her  thoughts,  until,  by  her  agitation, 
she  had  excited  the  interest  of  the  whole  party;  when,  by 
an  effort,  and  in  a  manner  as  if  she  had  striven  in  vain 
to  think  of  another,  Isabella  said,  faintly: 

"Major  Dunwoodie." 

The  health  was  drunk  cheerfully  by  all  but  Colonel  Well- 
mere,  who  wet  his  lips,  and  drew  figures  on  the  table 
with  some  of  the  liquor  he  had  spilt. 

At  length  Colonel  Wellmere  broke  silence  by  saying 
aloud  to  Captain  Lawton: 

"I  suppose,  sir,  this  Mr.  Dunwoodie  will  receive  pro 
motion  in  the  rebel  army,  for  the  advantage  my  misfor 
tune  gave  him  over  my  command." 


THE  SPY  169 

The  trooper  had  supplied  the  wants  of  nature  to  his 
perfect  satisfaction;  and,  perhaps,  with  the  exception  of 
Washington  and  his  immediate  commander,  there  was  no 
mortal  whose  displeasure  he  regarded  a  tittle.  First 
helping  himself,  therefore,  to  a  little  of  his  favorite  bot 
tle,  he  replied  with  admirable  coolness: 

"Colonel  Wellmere,  your  pardon;  Major  Dunwoodie 
owes  his  allegiance  to  the  Confederated  States  of  North 
America,  and  where  he  owes  it,  he  pays  it.  Such  a  man 
is  no  rebel.  Promoted  I  hope  he  may  be,  both  because  he 
deserves  it,  and  because  I  am  next  in  rank  in  the  corps; 
and  I  know  not  what  you  call  a  misfortune,  unless  you 
deem  meeting  the  Virginia  Horse  as  such." 

"We  will  not  differ  about  terms,  sir,"  said  the  colonel, 
haughtily;  "I  spoke  as  duty  to  my  sovereign  prompted: 
but  do  you  not  call  the  loss  of  a  commander  a  misfortune 
to  a  party?" 

"It  certainly  may  be  so,"  said  the  trooper,  with  em 
phasis. 

"Miss  Peyton,  will  you  favor  us  with  a  toast?"  cried 
the  master  of  the  house,  anxious  to  stop  this  dialogue. 

The  lady  bowed  her  head  with  dignity,  as  she  named 
"General  Montrose;"  and  the  long-absent  bloom  stole 
lightly  over  her  features. 

"There  is  no  term  more  doubtful  than  that  word  mis 
fortune,"  said  the  surgeon,  regardless  of  the  nice 
manoeuvres  of  the  host;  "some  deem  one  thing  a  misfor 
tune,  others  its  opposite;  misfortune  begets  misfortune; 
life  is  a  misfortune,  for  it  may  be  the  means  of  enduring 
misfortune;  and  death  is  a  misfortune,  as  it  abridges  the 
enjoyments  of  life." 

"It  is  a  misfortune  that  our  mess  has  no  such  wine  as 
this,"  interrupted  the  trooper. 

"We  will  pledge  you  a  sentiment  in  it,  sir,  as  it  seems 
to  suit  your  taste,"  said  Mr.  Wharton. 

Lawton  filled  to  the  brim,  and  drank,  "A  speedy  peace, 
or  a  stirring  war." 

"I  drink  your  toast,  Captain  Lawton,  though  I  greatly 
distrust  your  construction  of  activity,"  said  the  surgeon. 
"In  my  poor  judgment,  cavalry  should  be  kept  in  t 
rear  to  improve  a  victory,  and  not  sent  in  front  to  gam 


170  THE   SPY 

it.  Such  may  be  said  to  be  their  natural  occupation,  if 
the  term  can  be  used  in  reference  to  so  artificial  a  body; 
for  all  history  shows  that  the  horse  have  done  most  when 
properly  held  in  reserve." 

This  dissertation,  uttered  in  a  sufficiently  didactic  man 
ner,  was  a  hint  that  Miss  Peyton  did  not  neglect.  She 
arose  and  retired,  followed  by  her  juniors. 

Nearly  at  the  same  moment,  Mr.  Wharton  and  his  son 
made  an  apology  for  their  absence,  which  was  required  on 
account  of  the  death  of  a  near  neighbor,  and  withdrew. 

The  retreat  of  the  ladies  was  the  signal  for  the  appear 
ance  of  the  surgeon's  cigar,  which,  being  established  in  a 
corner  of  his  mouth,  in  a  certain  knowing  way,  caused 
not  the  slightest  interruption  to  his  discourse. 

"If  anything  can  sweeten  captivity  and  wounds,  it 
must  be  the  happiness  of  suffering  in  the  society  of  the 
ladies  who  have  left  us,"  gallantly  observed  the  colonel, 
as  he  resumed  his  seat  after  closing  the  door. 

" Sympathy  and  kindness  have  their  influence  on  the  hu 
man  system,"  returned  the  surgeon,  knocking  the  ashes 
from  his  cigar,  with  the  tip  of  a  little  finger,  in  the  man 
ner  of  an  adept.  "The  connection  is  intimate  between 
the  moral  and  physical  feelings;  but  still,  to  accomplish 
a  cure,  and  restore  nature  to  the  healthy  tone  it  has  lost 
from  disease  or  accident,  requires  more  than  can  flow 
from  unguided  sympathies.  In  such  cases,  the  lights"- 
the  surgeon  accidentally  caught  the  eye  of  the  trooper  and 
he  paused.  Taking  two  or  three  hasty  puffs,  he  essayed 
to  finish  the  sentence:  "In  such  cases,  the  knowledge 
that  flows  from  the  lights " 

"You  were  saying,  sir — "  said  Colonel  Wellmere, 
sipping  his  wine. 

"The  purport  of  my  remark  went  to  say,"  continued 
Sitgreaves,  turning  his  back  on  Lawton,  "that  a  bread 
poultice  would  not  set  a  broken  arm. ' ' 

"More  is  the  pity,"  cried  the  trooper,  "for  next  to  eat 
ing,  the  nourishment  could  not  be  more  innocently  ap 
plied." 

"To  you,  Colonel  Wellmere,"  said  the  surgeon,  "as  a 
man  of  education,  I  can  with  safety  appeal."  The  colo 
nel  bowed.  "You  must  have  observed  the  dreadful  havoc 


THE  SPY  171 

made  in  your  ranks  by  the  men  who  were  led  by  this  gen 
tleman;"  the  colonel  looked  grave,  again;  "how,  when 
blows  lighted  on  their  frames,  life  was  invariably  extin 
guished,  beyond  all  hope  of  scientific  reparation:  how 
certain  yawning  wounds  were  inflicted,  that  must  set  at 
defiance  the  art  of  the  most  experienced  practitioner; 
now,  sir,  to  you  I  triumphantly  appeal,  therefore,  to 
know  whether  your  detachment  would  not  have  been  as 
effectually  defeated,  if  the  men  had  all  lost  a  right  arm, 
for  instance,  as  if  they  had  all  lost  their  heads." 

"The  triumph  of  your  appeal  is  somewhat  hasty,  sir," 
said  Wellmere. 

"Is  the  cause  of  liberty  advanced  a  step  by  such  inju 
dicious  harshness  in  the  field?"  continued  the  surgeon, 
bent  on  the  favorite  principle  of  his  life. 

"I  am  yet  to  learn  that  the  cause  of  liberty  is  in  any 
manner  advanced  by  the  services  of  any  gentleman  in  the 
rebel  army,"  rejoined  the  colonel. 

"Not  liberty!  Good  God,  for  what  then  are  we  con 
tending?" 

"Slavery,  sir;  yes,  even  slavery;  you  are  putting  the 
tyranny  of  a  mob  on  the  throne  of  a  kind  and  lenient 
prince;  where  is  the  consistency  of  your  boasted  liberty?" 

"Consistency!"  repeated  the  surgeon,  looking  about 
him  a  little  wildly,  at  hearing  such  sweeping  charges 
against  a  cause  he  had  so  long  thought  holy. 

"Aye,  sir,  your  consistency.  Your  congress  of  sages 
have  published  a  manifesto,  wherein  they  set  forth  the 
equality  of  political  rights." 

"'Tis  true,  and  it  is  done  most  ably." 

"I  say  nothing  of  its  ability;  but  if  true,  why  not  set 
your  slaves  at  liberty?"  This  argument,  which  is 
thought  by  most  of  the  colonel's  country  men  a  triumphant 
answer  to  a  thousand  eloquent  facts,  lost  none  of  its 
weight  by  the  manner  in  which  it  was  uttered. 

Every  American  feels  humbled  at  the  necessity  of  vin 
dicating  his  country  from  the  apparent  inconsistency  and 
injustice  of  laws  alluded  to.  His  feelings  are  much  h 
those  of  an  honorable  man  who  is  compelled  to  exonerate 
himself  from  a  disgraceful  charge,  although  he  may  know 
the  accusation  to  be  false.  At  the  bottom,  Sitgreaves 


172  THE   SPY 

had  much  good  sense,  and  thus  called  on,  he  took  up  the 
cudgels  of  argument  in  downright  earnest. 

"We  deem  it  a  liberty  to  have  the  deciding  voice  in 
the  councils  by  which  we  are  governed.  We  think  it  a 
hardship  to  be  ruled  by  the  king  of  a  people  who  live  at 
a  distance  of  three  thousand  miles,  and  who  cannot,  and 
who  do  not,  feel  a  single  political  interest  in  common 
with  ourselves.  I  say  nothing  of  oppressions;  the  child 
was  of  age,  and  was  entitled  to  the  privileges  of  major 
ity.  In  such  cases,  there  is  but  one  tribunal  to  which  to 
appeal  for  a  nation's  rights — it  is  power,  and  we  now 
make  the  appeal." 

"Such  doctrines  may  suit  your  present  purposes,"  said 
Wellmere,  with  a  sneer;  "but  I  apprehend  it  is  opposed 
to  all  the  opinions  and  practices  of  civilized  nations." 

"It  is  in  conformity  with  the  practices  of  all  nations," 
said  the  surgeon,  returning  the  nod  and  smile  of  Lawton, 
who  enjoyed  the  good  sense  of  his  comrade  as  much  as 
he  disliked  what  he  called  "his  medical  talk."  "Who 
would  be  ruled  when  he  can  rule?  The  only  rational 
ground  to  take  is,  that  every  community  has  a  right  to 
govern  itself,  so  that  in  no  manner  it  violates  the  laws  of 
God." 

"And  is  holding  your  fellow-creatures  in  bondage  in 
conformity  to  those  laws?"  asked  the  colonel,  impres 
sively. 

The  surgeon  took  another  glass,  and  hemming  once, 
returned  to  the  combat. 

"Sir,"  said  he,  "slavery  is  of  very  ancient  origin,  and 
it  seems  to  have  been  confined  to  no  particular  religion 
or  form  of  government;  every  nation  of  civilized  Europe 
does,  or  has  held  their  fellow-creatures  in  this  kind  of 
duresse." 

"You  will  except  Great  Britain,"  cried  the  colonel, 
proudly. 

"No,  sir,"  continued  the  surgeon,  confidently,  feeling 
that  he  was  now  carrying  the  war  out  of  his  own  coun 
try;  "I  cannot  except  Great  Britain.  It  was  her  children, 
her  ships,  and  her  laws,  that  first  introduced  the  practice 
into  these  states;  and  on  her  institutions  the  judgment 
must  fall.  There  is  not  a  foot  of  ground  belonging  to 


THE   SPY  173 

England,  in  which  a  negro  would  be  useful,  that  has  not 
its  slave.  England  herself  has  none,  but  England  is 
overflowing  with  physical  force,  a  part  of  which  she  is 
obliged  to  maintain  in  the  shape  of  paupers.  The  same 
is  true  of  France,  and  most  other  European  countries. 
So  long  as  we  were  content  to  remain  colonies,  nothing 
was  said  of  our  system  of  domestic  slavery;  but  now, 
when  we  are  resolute  to  obtain  as  much  freedom  as  the 
vicious  system  of  metropolitan  rule  has  left  us,  that 
which  is  England's  gift  has  become  our  reproach.  Will 
your  master  liberate  the  slaves  of  his  subjects  should  he 
succeed  in  subduing  the  new  states,  or  will  he  condemn 
the  whites  to  the  same  servitude  as  that  in  which  he  has 
been  so  long  content  to  see  the  blacks?  It  is  true,  we 
continue  the  practice;  but  we  must  come  gradually  to  the 
remedy,  or  create  an  evil  greater  than  that  which  we 
endure  at  present;  doubtless,  as  we  advance,  the  manu 
mission  of  our  slaves  will  accompany  us,  until  happily 
these  fair  regions  shall  exist,  without  a  single  image  of 
the  Creator  that  is  held  in  a  state  which  disqualifies  him 
to  judge  of  that  Creator's  goodness." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Doctor  Sitgreaves  spoke 
forty  years  ago,  and  Wellmere  was  unable  to  contradict 
his  prophetic  assertion. 

Finding  the  subject  getting  to  be  knotty,  the  English 
man  retired  to  the  apartment  in  which  the  ladies  had 
assembled;  and,  seated  by  the  side  of  Sarah,  he  found  a 
more  pleasing  employment  in  relating  the  events  of  fash 
ionable  life  in  the  metropolis,  and  in  recalling  the  thou 
sand  little  anecdotes  of  their  former  associates.  Miss 
Peyton  was  a  pleased  listener,  as  she  dispensed  the  boun 
ties  of  the  tea  table,  and  Sarah  frequently  bowed  her 
blushing  countenance  to  her  needlework,  as  her  face 
glowed  at  the  flattering  remarks  of  her  companion. 

The  dialogue   we   have   related   established  a  perfect 
truce   between  the   surgeon  and  his  comrade;  and  the 
former  having  paid  a  visit  to  Singleton,  they  took  their 
leave  of  the  ladies,  and  mounted ;  the  former  to  vis 
wounded  at  the  encampment,  and  the  latter  to  rejoin  I 
troop.     But  their  movements  were  arrested  at 
by  an  occurrence  that  we  shall  relate  in  the  next  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

"I  see  no  more  those  white  locks  thinly  spread 
Round  the  bald  polish  of  that  honored  head : 
No  more  that  meek,  that  suppliant  look  in  prayer, 
Nor  that  pure  faith  that  gave  it  force,  are  there: 
But  he  is  blest,  and  I  lament  no  more, 
A  wise  good  man,  contented  to  be  poor." 

— CRABBE. 

WE  have  already  said  that  the  customs  of  Ame: 
leave  the  dead  but  a  short  time  in  the  sight  of 
mourners;  and  the  necessity  of  providing  for  his  < 
safety  had  compelled  the  peddler  to  abridge  even 
brief  space.  In  the  confusion  and  agitation  producec 
the  events  we  have  recorded,  the  death  of  the  elder  B; 
had  occurred  unnoticed ;  but  a  sufficient  number  of 
immediate  neighbors  were  hastily  collected,  and  the  o: 
nary  rites  of  sepulture  were  now  about  to  be  paid  to 
deceased.  It  was  the  approach  of  this  humble  process 
that  arrested  the  movements  of  the  trooper  and  his  c< 
rade.  Four  men  supported  the  body  on  a  rude  bier; 
four  others  walked  in  advance,  ready  to  relieve  tl 
friends  from  their  burden.  The  peddler  walked  next 
coffin,  and  by  his  side  moved  Katy  Haynes,  with  a  n 
determined  aspect  of  woe,  and  next  to  the  mourners  a 
Mr.  Wharton  and  the  English  captain.  Two  or  three 
man  and  women,  with  a  few  straggling  boys,  brought 
the  rear.  Captain  Lawton  sat  in  his  saddle,  in  ri 
silence,  until  the  bearers  came  opposite  to  his  posit; 
and  then,  for  the  first  time,  Harvey  raised  his  eyes  fi 
the  ground,  and  saw  the  enemy  that  he  dreaded  so  r 
him.  The  first  impulse  of  the  peddler  was  certainly  flij; 
but  recovering  his  recollection,  he  fixed  his  eye  on 
coffin  of  his  parent,  and  passed  the  dragoon  with  a  i 
step  but  swelling  heart.  The  trooper  slowly  lifted  his  ( 
and  continued  uncovered  until  Mr.  Wharton  and  his 
had  moved  by,  when,  accompanied  by  the  surgeon, 

174 


THE  SPY  175 

rode   leisurely   in   the   rear,    maintaining  an  inflexible 
silence. 

Caesar  emerged  from  the  cellar  kitchen  of  the  cottage, 
and  with  a  face  of  settled  solemnity,  added  himself  to  the 
number  of  the  followers  of  the  funeral,  though  with  an 
humble  mien,  and  at  a  most  respectful  distance  from  the 
horsemen.  The  old  negro  had  placed  around  his  arm,  a 
little  above  the  elbow,  a  napkin  of  unsullied  whiteness,  it 
being  the  only  time  since  his  departure  from  the  city 
that  he  had  enjoyed  an  opportunity  of  exhibiting  himself 
in  the  garniture  of  servile  mourning.  He  was  a  great 
lover  of  propriety,  and  had  been  a  little  stimulated  to 
this  display  by  a  desire  to  show  his  sable  friend  from 
Georgia  all  the  decencies  of  a  New  York  funeral;  and  the 
ebullition  of  his  zeal  went  off  very  well,  producing  no 
other  result  than  a  mild  lecture  from  Miss  Peyton  at  his 
return,  on  the  fitness  of  things.  The  attendance  of  the 
black  was  thought  well  enough  in  itself;  but  the  napkin 
was  deemed  a  superfluous  exhibition  of  ceremony,  at  the 
funeral  of  a  man  who  had  performed  all  the  menial  offices 
in  his  own  person. 

The  graveyard  was  an  enclosure  on  the  grounds  of  Mr. 
Wharton,  which  had  been  fenced  with  stone,  and  set 
apart  for  the  purpose,  by  that  gentleman,  some  years 
before.  It  was  not,  however,  intended  as  a  burial-place 
for  any  of  his  own  family.  Until  the  fire  which  raged  as 
the  British  troops  took  possession  of  New  York,  had  laid 
Trinity  in  ashes,  a  goodly  gilded  tablet  on  its  walls  pro 
claimed  the  virtues  of  his  deceased  parents,  and  beneath  a 
flag  of  marble,  in  one  of  the  aisles  of  the  church,  their 
bones  were  left  to  moulder  in  aristocratical  repose.  Cap 
tain  Lawton  made  a  movement  as  if  he  was  disposed  to 
follow  the  procession,  when  it  left  the  highway,  to  enter 
the  field  which  contained  the  graves  of  the  humble  dead, 
but  he  was  recalled  to  recollection  by  a  hint  from  his  com 
panion  that  he  was  taking  the  wrong  road. 

"Of  all  the  various  methods  which  have  been  ado; 
by  man  for  the  disposal  of  his  earthly  remains,  which  do 
you  prefer,  Captain  Lawton?"  said  the  surgeon,  as  1 
separated  from  the  little  procession:  "in  some  countr 
the  body  is  exposed  to  be  devoured  by  wild  beasts;  i 


176  THE   SPY 

others  it  is  suspended  in  the  air  to  exhale  its  substance 
in  the  manner  of  decomposition;  in  other  regions  it  is 
consumed  on  the  funeral  pile,  and,  again,  it  is  inhiftned 
in  the  bowels  of  the  earth;  every  people  have  their  own 
particular  fashion,  and  to  which  do  you  give  the  pref 
erence?" 

"All  are  agreeable,"  said  the  trooper,  following  the 
group  they  had  left  with  his  eyes;  "though  the  speediest 
interments  give  the  cleanest  fields.  Of  which  are  you  an 
admirer?" 

"The  last,  as  practiced  by  ourselves,  for  the  other  three 
are  destructive  of  all  the  opportunities  for  dissection; 
whereas,  in  the  last,  the  coffin  can  lie  in  peaceful  decency, 
while  the  remains  are  made  to  subserve  the  useful  pur 
poses  of  science.  Ah!  Captain  Lawton,  I  enjoy  compara 
tively  but  few  opportunities  of  such  a  nature,  to  what  I 
expected  on  entering  the  army. ' ' 

"To  what  may  these  pleasures  numerically  amount  in 
a  year?"  said  the  captain,  withdrawing  his  gaze  from 
the  graveyard. 

"Within  a  dozen,  upon  my  honor;  my  best  picking  is 
when  the  corps  is  detached;  for  when  we  are  with  the 
main  army,  there  are  so  many  boys  to  be  satisfied,  that  I 
seldom  get  a  good  subject.  Those  youngsters  are  as 
wasteful  as  prodigals,  and  as  greedy  as  vultures. ' ' 

"A  dozen!"  echoed  the  trooper,  in  surprise;  "why,  I 
furnish  you  that  number  with  my  own  hands." 

"Ah!  Jack,"  returned  the  doctor,  approaching  the  sub 
ject  with  great  tenderness  of  manner,  "it  is  seldom  I  can 
do  anything  with  your  patients;  you  disfigure  them  woe 
fully;  believe  me,  John,  when  I  tell  you  as  a  friend  that 
your  system  is  all  wrong;  you  unnecessarily  destroy  life, 
and  then  you  injure  the  body  so  that  it  is  unfit  for  the 
only  use  that  can  be  made  of  a  dead  man. ' ' 

The  trooper  maintained  a  silence,  which  he  thought 
would  be  the  most  probable  means  of  preserving  peace 
between  them;  and  the  surgeon,  turning  his  head  from 
taking  a  last  look  at  the  burial,  as  they  rode  round  the 
foot  of  the  hill  that  shut  the  valley  from  their  sight,  con 
tinued  with  a  suppressed  sigh : 

"One  might  get  a  natural  death  from  that  graveyard 


THE  SPY  177 

to-night,  if  there  was  but  time  and  opportunity!  the 
patient  must  be  the  father  of  the  lady  we  saw'  this 
morning." 

"The  petticoat  doctor! — she  with  the  aurora  borealis 
complexion,"  said  the  trooper,  with  a  smile,  that  began 
to  cause  uneasiness  to  his  companion;  "but  the  lady  was 
not  the  gentleman's  daughter,  only  his  medico-petticoat 
attendant;  and  the  Harvey,  whose  name  was  made  to 
rhyme  with  every  word  in  her  song,  is  the  renowned  ped 
dler-spy. " 

"What!  he  who  unhorsed  you?" 

"No  man  ever  unhorsed  me,  Dr.  Sitgreaves,"  said  the 
dragoon;  gravely;  "I  fell  by  a  mischance  of  Roanoke; 
rider  and  beast  kissed  the  earth  together." 

"A  warm  embrace,  from  the  love-spots  it  left  on  your 
cuticle;  'tis  a  thousand  pities  that  you  cannot  find  where 
the  tattling  rascal  lies  hid." 

"He  followed  his  father's  body." 

"And  you  let  him  pass!"  cried  the  surgeon,  checking 
his  horse;  "let  us  return  immediately,  and  take  him;  to 
morrow  you  shall  have  him  hanged,  Jack, — and,  damn 
him,  I'll  dissect  him!" 

"Softly,  softly,  my  dear  Archibald;  would  you  arrest 
a  man  while  paying  the  last  offices  to  a  dead  father? 
Leave  him  to  me,  and  I  pledge  myself  he  shall  have 
justice. ' ' 

The  doctor  muttered  his  dissatisfaction  at  any  postpone 
ment  of  vengeance,  but  he  was  compelled  to  acquiesce, 
from  a  regard  to  his  reputation  for  propriety;  and  they 
continued  their  ride  to  the  quarters  of  the  corps,  engaged 
in  various  discussions  concerning  the  welfare  of  the  hu 
man  body. 

Birch  supported  the  grave  and  collected  manner  that 
was  thought  becoming  in  a  male  mourner  on  such  occa 
sions,  and  to  Katy  was  left  the  part  of  exhibiting  the  ten 
derness  of  the  softer  sex.  There  are  some  people  whose 
feelings  are  of  such  nature  that  they  cannot  weep  unless 
it  be  in  proper  company,  and  the  spinster  was  a  good 
deal  addicted  to  this  congregational  virtue.  After  cast 
ing  her  eyes  round  the  small  assemblage,  the  housekeeper 
found  the  countenances  of  a  few  females,  who  were 
12 


178  THE   SPY 

present,  fixed  on  her  in  solemn  expectation,  and  the  effect 
was  instantaneous;  the  maiden  really  wept,  and  she 
gained  no  inconsiderable  sympathy,  and  some  reputation 
for  a  tender  heart,  from  the  spectators.  The  muscles  of 
the  peddler's  face  were  seen  to  move,  and  as  the  first  clod 
of  earth  fell  on  the  tenement  of  his  father,  sending  up 
that  dull,  hollow  sound,  that  speaks  so  eloquently  the 
mortality  of  man,  his  whole  frame  was  for  an  instant 
convulsed.  He  bent  his  body  down,  as  if  in  pain,  his 
fingers  worked  while  the  hands  hung  lifeless  by  his  side, 
and.  there  was  an  expression  in  his  countenance  that 
seemed  to  announce  a  writhing  of  the  soul;  but  it  was 
not  unresisted,  and  it  was  transient.  He  stood  erect, 
drew  a  long  breath,  and  looked  around  him  with  an  ele 
vated  face,  that  even  seemed  to  smile  with  a  conscious 
ness  of  having  obtained  the  mastery.  The  grave  was 
soon  filled;  a  rough  stone,  placed  at  either  extremity, 
marked  its  position,  and  the  turf,  whose  faded  vegeta 
tion  was  adapted  to  the  fortunes  of  the  deceased,  covered 
the  little  hillock  with  the  last  office  of  seemliness.  This 
office  ended,  the  neighbors,  who  had  officiously  pressed 
forward  to  offer  their  services  in  performing  this  solemn 
duty,  paused,  and  lifting  their  hats,  stood  looking  to 
wards  the  mourner,  who  now  felt  himself  to  be  really 
alone  in  the  world.  Uncovering  his  head  also,  the  ped 
dler  hesitated  a  moment,  to  gather  energy,  and  spoke. 

"My  friends  and  neighbors,"  he  said,  "I  thank  you 
for  assisting  me  to  bury  my  dead  out  of  my  sight. ' ' 

A  solemn  pause  succeeded  the  customary  address,  and 
the  group  dispersed  in  silence,  some  few  walking  with 
the  mourners  back  to  their  own  habitation,  but  respect 
fully  leaving  them  at  its  entrance.  The  peddler  and  Katy 
were  followed  into  the  building  by  one  man,  however, 
who  was  well  known  to  the  surrounding  country  by  the 
significant  term  of  "a  speculator."  Katy  saw  him 
enter,  with  a  heart  that  palpitated  with  dreadful  forbod- 
ings,  but  Harvey  civilly  handed  him  a  chair,  and 
evidently  was  prepared  for  the  visit. 

The  peddler  went  to  the  door,  and,  taking  a  cautious 
glance  about  the  valley,  quickly  returned,  and  com 
menced  the  following  dialogue: 


THE   SPY  179 

"The  sun  has  just  left  the  top  of  the  eastern  hill;  my 
time  presses  me:  here  is  the  deed  for  the  house  and  lot; 
everything  is  done  according  to  law." 

The  other  took  the  paper,  and  conned  its  contents  with 
a  deliberation  that  proceeded  partly  from  his  caution, 
and  partly  from  the  unlucky  circumstance  of  his  educa 
tion  having  been  much  neglected  when  a  youth.  The 
time  occupied  in  this  tedious  examination  was  employed 
by  Harvey  in  gathering  together  certain  articles,  which 
he  intended  to  include  in  the  stores  that  were  to  leave 
the  habitation  with  himself.  Katy  had  already  inquired 
of  the  peddler,  whether  the  deceased  had  left  a  will;  and 
she  saw  the  Bible  placed  in  the  bottom  of  a  new  pack, 
which  she  had  made  for  his  accommodation,  with  a  most 
stoical  indifference;  but  as  the  six  silver  spoons  were  laid 
carefully  by  its  side,  a  sudden  twinge  of  her  conscience 
objected  to  such  a  palpable  waste  of  property,  and  she 
broke  silence. 

"When  you  marry,  Harvey,  you  may  miss  those 
spoons. ' ' 

"I  never  shall  marry." 

"Well,  if  you  don't  there's  no  occasion  to  make  rash 
promises,  even  to  yourself.  One  never  knows  what  one 
may  do,  in  such  a  case.  I  should  like  to  know,  of  what 
use  so  many  spoons  can  be  to  a  single  man:  for  my  part, 
I  think  it  is  a  duty  for  every  man  who  is  well  provided, 
to  have  a  wife  and  family  to  maintain." 

At  the  time  when  Katy  expressed  this  sentiment,  the 
fortune  of  woman  in  her  class  of  life  consisted  of  a  cow, 
a  bed,  the  labors  of  their  own  hands  in  the  shape  of 
divers  pillow-cases,  blankets,  and  sheets,  with,  where  for 
tune  was  unusually  kind,  a  half-dozen  silver  spoons. 
spinster  herself  had  obtained  all  the  other  necessaries  b. 
her  own  industry  and  prudence,  and  it  can   easily 
imagined  that  she  saw  the  articles  she  had  long  counted 
her  own,  vanish  in  the  enormous  pack,  with  a  dissatisfac 
tion  that  was  in  no  degree  diminished  by  the  declarati< 
that  had  preceded  the  act.     Harvey,  however,  disregards 
her  opinions  and  feelings,  and  continued  his  employmei 
of  filling  the  pack,  which  soon  grew  to  something  1 
the  ordinary  size  of  the  peddler's  burden. 


180  THE   SPY 

"I'm  rather  timersome  about  this  conveyance,"  said 
the  purchaser,  having  at  length  waded  through  the  cove 
nants  of  the  deed. 

"Why  so?" 

"I'm  afraid  it  won't  stand  good  in  law.  I  know  that 
two  of  the  neighbors  leave  home  to-morrow  morning,  to 
have  the  place  entered  for  confiscation;  and  if  I  should 
give  forty  pounds,  and  lose  it  all,  'twould  be  a  dead  pull 
back  to  me. ' ' 

"They  can  only  take  my  right,"  said  the  peddler:  "pay 
me  two  hundred  dollars,  and  the  house  is  yours:  you  are 
a  well-known  Whig,  and  you  at  least  they  won't  trou 
ble."  As  Harvey  spoke,  there  was  a  strange  bitterness 
of  manner,  mingled  with  the  shrewd  care  he  expressed 
concerning  the  sale  of  his  property. 

"Say  one  hundred,  and  it  is  a  bargain,"  returned  the 
man,  with  a  grin  that  he  meant  for  a  good-natured  smile. 

"A  bargain!"  echoed  the  peddler,  in  surprise;  "I 
thought  the  bargain  already  made." 

"Nothing  is  a  bargain,"  said  the  purchaser,  with  a 
chuckle,  "until  papers  are  delivered,  and  the  money  paid 
in  hand." 

"You  have  the  paper." 

"Aye,  and  will  keep  it,  if  you  will  excuse  the  money; 
come,  say  one  hundred  and  fifty,  and  I  won't  be  hard; 
here — here  is  just  the  money." 

The  peddler  looked  from  the  window  and  saw  with  dis 
may  that  the  evening  was  fast  advancing,  and  knew  well 
that  he  endangered  his  life  by  remaining  in  the  dwelling 
after  dark;  yet  he  could  not  tolerate  the  idea  of  being  de 
frauded  in  this  manner,  in  a  bargain  that  had  already 
been  fairly  made;  he  hesitated. 

"Well,"  said  the  purchaser,  rising,  "mayhap  you  can 
find  another  man  to  trade  with  between  this  and  morning, 
but,  if  you  don't,  your  title  won't  be  worth  much  after 
wards.  ' ' 

"Take  it,  Harvey,"  said  Katy,  who  felt  it  impossible 
to  resist  a  tender  like  the  one  before  her;  for  the  pur 
chase-money  was  in  English  guineas.  Her  voice  roused 
the  peddler,  and  a  new  idea  seemed  to  strike  him. 

"I  agree  to  the  price,"  he  said;  and,  turning  to  the 


THE   SPY  181 

spinster,  he  placed  part  of  the  money  in  her  hand,  as  he 
continued,  "had  I  other  means  to  pay  you,  I  would  have 
lost  all,  rather  than  suffered  myself  to  be  defrauded  of 
part." 

"You  may  lose  all  yet,"  muttered  the  stranger,  with  a 
sneer,  as  he  rose  and  left  the  building. 

"Yes,"  said  Katy,  following  him  with  her  eyes;  "he 
knows  your  failing,  Harvey;  he  thinks  with  me,  now  the 
old  gentleman  is  gone,  you  will  want  a  careful  body  to 
take  care  of  your  concerns. ' ' 

The  peddler  was  busied  in  making  arrangements  for 
his  departure,  and  he  took  no  notice  of  this  insinuation, 
while  the  spinster  returned  again  to  the  attack.  She  had 
lived  so  many  years  in  expectation  of  a  termination  to 
her  hopes,  so  different  from  that  which  now  seemed  likely 
to  occur,  that  the  idea  of  separation  began  to  give  her 
more  uneasiness  than  she  had  thought  herself  capable  of 
feeling,  about  a  man  so  destitute  and  friendless. 

"Have  you  another  house  to  go  to?"  inquired  Katy. 

"Providence  will  provide  me  with  a  home." 

"Yes,"  said  the  housekeeper;  "but  maybe  'twill  not  be 
to  your  liking." 

"The  poor  must  not  be  difficult." 

"I'm  sure  I'm  anything  but  a  difficult  body,"  cried  the 
spinster,  very  hastily;  "but  I  love  to  see  things  becoming, 
and  in  their  places;  yet  I  wouldn't  be  hard  to  persuade 
to  leave  this  place  myself.  I  can't  say  I  altogether  like 
the  ways  of  the  people  hereabouts." 

"The  valley  is  lovely,"  said  the  peddler,  with  fervor, 
"and  the  people  like  all  the  race  of  man.  But  to  me  it 
matters  nothing;  all  places  are  now  alike,  and  all  faces 
equally  strange;"  as  he  spoke  he  dropped  the  article  ho 
was  packing  from  his  hand,  and  seated  himself  on  a  chest, 
with  a  look  of  vacant  misery. 

"Not  so,  not  so,"  said  Katy,  shoving  her  chair  nearer 
to  the  place  where  the  peddler  sat;  "not  so,  Harvey,  you 
must  know  me  at  least;  my  face  cannot  be  strange  to 
you,  certainly." 

Birch  turned  his  eyes  slowly  on  her  countenance,  whi 
exhibited   more  of  feeling,  and  less  of  self,  than  he  had 
ever  seen  there  before;  he  took  her  hand  kindly,  and  his 


182  THE   SPY 

own  features  lost  some  of  their  painful  expression,  as  he 
said: 

"Yes,  good  woman,  you,  at  least,  are  not  a  stranger 
to  me;  you  may  do  me  partial  justice;  when  others  revile 
me,  possibly  your  feelings  may  lead  you  to  say  something 
in  my  defence." 

"That  I  will;  that  I  would!"  said  Katy,  eagerly;  "I 
will  defend  you,  Harvey,  to  the  last  drop;  let  me  hear 
them  that  dare  to  revile  you!  you  say  true,  Harvey,  I  am 
partial  and  just  to  you;  what  if  you  do  like  the  king?  1 
have  often  heard  it  said  he  was  at  the  bottom  a  good 
man;  but  there's  no  religion  in  the  old  country,  for 
everybody  allows  the  ministers  are  desperate  bad!" 

The  peddler  paced  the  floor  in  evident  distress  of  mind, 
his  eye  had  a  look  of  wildness  that  Katy  had  never  wit 
nessed  before,  and  his  step  was  measured,  with  a  dignity 
that  appalled  the  housekeeper. 

"While  my  father  lived,"  murmured  Harvey,  unable 
to  smother  his  feelings,  "there  was  one  who  read  my 
heart,  and  oh!  what  a  consolation  to  return  from  my 
secret  marches  of  danger,  and  the  insults  and  wrongs  that 
I  suffered,  to  receive  his  blessing  and  his  praise;  but  he 
is  gone,"  he  continued,  stopping  and  gazing  wildly 
towards  the  corner  that  used  to  hold  the  figure  of  his 
parent,  "and  who  is  there  to  do  me  justice?" 

"Why,  Harvey!  Harvey!" 

"Yes,  there  is  one  who  will,  who  must  know  me  before 
I  die!  Oh!  it  is  dreadful  to  die,  and  leave  such  a  name 
behind  me." 

"Don't  talk  of  dying,  Harvey,"  said  the  spinster, 
glancing  her  eye  around  the  room,  and  pushing  the  wood 
in  the  fire  to  obtain  a  light  from  the  blaze. 

The  ebullition  of  feeling  in  the  peddler  was  over.  It 
had  been  excited  by  the  events  of  the  past  day,  and  a 
vivid  perception  of  his  sufferings.  It  was  not  long,  how 
ever,  that  passion  maintained  an  ascendency  over  the 
reason  of  this  singular  man;  and  perceiving  that  the 
night  had  already  thrown  an  obscurity  around  objects 
without  doors,  he  hastily  threw  his  pack  over  his  shoul 
ders,  and  taking  Katy  kindly  by  the  hand,  in  leave- 
taking: 


THE   SPY  183 

_"It  is  painful  to  part  with  even  you,  good  woman",' '  he 
said;  "but  the  hour  has  come,  and  I  must  go.  What  is 
left  in  the  house  is  yours;  to  me  it  could  be  of  no  use, 
and  it  may  serve  to  make  you  more  comfortable.  Fare 
well — we  shall  meet  hereafter." 

"In  the  regions  of  darkness?"  cried  a  voice  that  caused 
the  peddler  to  sink  on  the  chest  from  which  he  had  risen, 
in  despair. 

"What!  another  pack,  Mr.  Birch,  and  so  well  stuffed  so 
soon ! ' ' 

"Have  you  not  done  evil  enough!"  cried  the  peddler,  re 
gaining  his  firmness,  and  springing  on  his  feet  with 
energy;  "is  it  not  enough  to  harass  the  last  moments  of 
a  dying  man — to  impoverish  me;  what  more  would  you 
have?" 

"Your  blood!"  said  the  Skinner,  with  cool  malignity. 

"And  for  money,"  cried  Harvey,  bitterly;  "like  the 
ancient  Judas,  you  would  grow  rich  with  the  price  of 
blood!" 

"Aye,  and  a  fair  price  it  is,  my  gentleman;  fifty 
guineas;  nearly  the  weight  of  that  scarecrow  carcass  of 
yours  in  gold." 

"Here,"  saidKaty,  promptly,  "here  are  fifteen  guineas, 
and  these  drawers  and  this  bed  are  all  mine;  if  you  will 
give  Harvey  but  one  hour's  start  from  the  door,  they 
shall  be  yours." 

"One  hour?"  said  the  Skinner,  showing  his  teeth,  and 
looking  with  a  longing  eye  at  the  money. 

"But  a  single  hour;  here,  take  the  money." 

"Hold!"  cried  Harvey;  "put  no  faith  in  the  mis 
creant." 

"She  may  do  what  she  pleases  with  her  faith,"  said 
the  Skinner,  with  malignant  pleasure;  "but  I  have  the 
money  in  good  keeping;  as  for  you,  Mr.  Birch,  we  will 
bear  your  insolence,  for  the  fifty  guineas  that  are  to  pay 
for  your  gallows." 

"Go  on,"  said  the  peddler,  proudly;  "take me  to  Major 
Dunwoodie;  he,  at  least,  may  be  kind,  although  he  may 

be  just." 

"I  can  do  better  than  by  marching  so  far  in  si 
graceful  company;  this  Mr.  Dunwoodie  has  let  one  or 


184  THE   SPY 

two  Tories  go  at  large;  but  the  troop  of  Captain  Lawton 
is  quartered  some  half  mile  nearer,  and  his  receipt  will 
get  me  the  reward  as  soon  as  his  major's;  how  relish  you 
the  idea  of  supping  with  Captain  Lawton,  this  evening, 
Mr.  Birch?" 

"Give  me  my  money,  or  set  Harvey  free,"  cried  the 
spinster  in  alarm. 

"Your  bribe  was  not  enough,  good  woman,  unless  there 
is  money  in  this  bed;"  thrusting  his  bayonet  through  the 
ticking,  and  ripping  it  for  some  distance,  he  took  a  ma 
licious  satisfaction  in  scattering  its  contents  about  the 
room. 

"If,"  cried  the  housekeeper,  losing  sight  of  her  per 
sonal  danger  in  care  for  her  newly-acquired  property, 
"there  is  law  in  the  land,  I  will  be  righted!" 

"The  law  of  the  neutral  ground  is  the  law  of  the 
strongest;  but  your  tongue  is  not  as  long  as  my  bayonet; 
you  had,  therefore,  best  not  set  them  at  loggerheads,  or 
you  might  be  the  loser." 

A  figure  stood  in  the  shadow  of  the  door,  as  if  afraid 
to  be  seen  in  the  group  of  Skinners;  but  a  blaze  of  light, 
raised  by  some  articles  thrown  in  the  fire  by  his  persecu 
tors,  showed  the  peddler  the  face  of  the  purchaser  of  his 
little  domain.  Occasionally  there  was  some  whispering 
between  this  man  and  the  Skinner  nearest  him,  that  in 
duced  Harvey  to  suspect  he  had  been  the  dupe  of  a  con 
trivance  in  which  that  wretch  had  participated.  It  was, 
however,  too  late  to  repine;  and  he  followed  the  party 
from  the  house  with  a  firm  and  collected  tread,  as  if 
marching  to  a  triumph,  and  not  to  a  gallows.  In  passing 
through  the  yard,  the  leader  of  the  band  fell  over  a  billet 
of  wood,  and  received  a  momentary  hurt  from  the  fall; 
exasperated  at  the  incident,  the  fellow  sprang  on  his  feet, 
filling  the  air  with  execrations. 

"The  curse  of  Heaven  light  on  the  log!"  he  exclaimed; 
"the  night  is  too  dark  for  us  to  move  in;  throw  that 
brand  of  fire  in  yon  pile  of  tow,  to  light  up  the  scene." 

"Hold!"  roared  the  speculator ;  "you'll  fire  the  house." 

"And  see  the  farther,"  said  the  other,  hurling  the 
brand  in  the  midst  of  the  combustibles.  In  an  instant 
the  building  was  in  flames.  "Come  on;  let  us  move 


THE   SPY  185 

towards  the  heights  while  we  have  light  to  pick  our 
road." 

"Villain!"  cried  the  exasperated  purchaser,  "is  this 
your  friendship — this  my  reward  for  kidnapping  the 
peddler?" 

'"Twould  be  wise  to  move  more  from  the  light,  if  you 
mean  to  entertain  us  with  abuse,  or  we  may  see  too  well 
to  miss  our  mark, ' '  cried  the  leader  of  the  gang.  The 
next  instant  he  was  as  good  as  his  threat,  but  happily 
missed  the  terrified  speculator  and  equally  appalled 
spinster,  who  saw  herself  again  reduced  from  comparative 
wealth  to  poverty,  by  the  blow.  Prudence  dictated  to 
the  pair  a  speedy  retreat;  and  the  next  morning  the  only 
remains  of  the  dwelling  of  the  peddler  was  the  huge 
chimney  we  have  already  mentioned. 


CHAPTER  XV 

"Trifles,  light  as  air, 
Are  to  the  jealous  confirmations  strong 
As  proofs  of  holy  writ." 

—OTHELLO. 

THE  weather,  which  had  been  mild  and  clear  since  the 
storm,  now  changed  with  the  suddenness  of  the  American 
climate.  Towards  evening  the  cold  blasts  poured  down 
from  the  mountains,  and  flurries  of  snow  plainly  indi 
cated  that  the  month  of  November  had  arrived ;  a  season 
whose  temperature  varies  from  the  heats  of  summer  to 
the  cold  of  winter.  Frances  had  stood  at  the  window  of 
her  own  apartment,  watching  the  slow  progress  of  the 
funeral  procession,  with  a  melancholy  that  was  too  deep 
to  be  excited  by  the  spectacle.  There  was  something  in 
the  sad  office  that  was  in  unison  with  her  feelings.  As 
she  gazed  around,  she  saw  the  trees  bending  to  the  force 
of  the  wind,  that  swept  through  the  valley  with  an  im 
petuosity  that  shook  even  the  buildings;  and  the  forest, 
that  had  so  lately  glittered  in  the  sun  with  its  variegated 
hues,  was  fast  losing  its  loveliness,  as  the  leaves  were 
torn  from  the  branches,  and  were  driving  irregularly 
before  the  eddies  of  the  blast.  .A  few  of  the  southern 
dragoons,  who  were  patrolling  the  passes  which  led  to  the 
encampment  of  the  corps,  could  be  distinguished  at  a 
distance  on  the  heights,  bending  to  their  pommels  as 
they  faced  the  keen  air  which  had  so  lately  traversed  the 
great  freshwater  lakes,  and  drawing  their  watch-coats 
about  them  in  tighter  folds. 

Frances  witnessed  the  disappearance  of  the  wooden 
tenement  of  the  deceased,  as  it  was  slowly  lowered  from 
the  light  of  day;  and  the  sight  added  to  the  chilling 
dreariness  of  the  view.  Captain  Singleton  was  sleeping 
under  the  care  of  his  own  man,  while  his  sister  had  been 
persuaded  to  take  possession  of  her  room,  for  the  purpose 

186 


THE   SPY  187 

of  obtaining  the  repose  of  which  her  last  night's  journey 
ing  had  robbed  her.  The  apartment  of  Miss  Singleton 
communicated  with  the  room  occupied  by  the  sisters, 
through  a  private  door,  as  well  as  through  the  ordinary 
passage  of  the  house;  this  door  was  partly  opened,  and 
Frances  moved  towards  it,  with  the  benevolent  intention 
of  ascertaining  the  situation  of  her  guest,  when  the  sur 
prised  girl  saw  her  whom  she  had  thought  to  be  sleeping, 
not  only  awake,  but  employed  in  a  manner  that  banished 
all  probability  of  present  repose.  The  black  tresses,  that 
during  the  dinner  had  been  drawn  in  close  folds  over  the 
crown  of  the  head,  were  now  loosened,  and  fell  in  profu 
sion  over  her  shoulders  and  bosom,  imparting  a  slight 
degree  of  wildness  to  her  countenance;  the  chilling  white 
of  her  complexion  was  strongly  contrasted  with  eyes  of 
the  deepest  black,  that  were  fixed  in  rooted  attention  on 
a  picture  she  held  in  her  hand.  Frances  hardly  breathed, 
as  she  was  enabled,  by  a  movement  of  Isabella,  to  see 
that  it  was  the  figure  of  a  man  in  the  well-known  dress 
of  the  Southern  Horse;  but  she  gasped  for  breath,  and 
instinctively  laid  her  hand  on  her  heart  to  quell  its 
throbbings,  as  she  thought  she  recognized  the  lineaments 
that  were  so  deeply  seated  in  her  own  imagination. 
Frances  felt  she  was  improperly  prying  into  the  sacred 
privacy  of  another;  but  her  emotions  were  too  powerful 
to  permit  her  to  speak,  and  she  drew  back  a  chair, 
where  she  still  retained  a  view  of  the  stranger,  from 
whose  countenance  she  felt  it  to  be  impossible  to  with 
draw  her  eyes.  Isabella  was  too  much  engrossed  by  her 
own  feelings  to  discover  the  trembling  figure  of  the 
witness  to  her  actions,  and  she  pressed  the  inanimate 
image  to  her  lips,  with  an  enthusiasm  that  denoted  the 
most  intense  passion.  The  expression  of  the  countenance 
of  the  fair  stranger  was  so  changeable,  and  the  transi 
tions  were  so  rapid,  that  Frances  had  scarcely  time  to 
distinguish  the  character  of  the  emotion,  before  it  was 
succeeded  by  another,  equally  powerful  and  equally 
attractive.  Admiration  and  sorrow  were  however 
preponderating  passions;  the  latter  was  indicated  by 
large  drops  that  fell  from  her  eyes  on  the  picture,  a 
which  followed  each  other  over  her  cheek  at  such  inter- 


188  THE   SPY 

vals,  as  seemed  to  pronounce  the  grief  too  heavy  to  admit 
of  the  ordinary  demonstrations  of  sorrow.  Every  move 
ment  of  Isabella  was  marked  by  an  enthusiasm  that  was 
peculiar  to  her  nature,  and  every  passion  in  its  turn  tri 
umphed  in  her  breast.  The  fury  of  the  wind,  as  it  whis 
tled  round  the  angles  of  the  building,  was  in  consonance 
with  those  feelings,  and  she  rose  and  moved  to  a  window 
of  her  apartment.  Her  figure  was  now  hid  from  the 
view  of  Frances,  who  was  about  to  rise  and  approach  her 
guest,  when  tones  of  a  thrilling  melody  chained  her  in 
breathless  silence  to  the  spot.  The  notes  were  wild,  and 
the  voice  not  powerful,  but  the  execution  exceeded  any 
thing  that  Frances  had  ever  heard ;  and  she  stood,  endeav 
oring  to  stifle  the  sounds  of  her  own  gentle  breathing, 
until  the  following  song  was  concluded: 

Cold  blow  the  blasts  o'er  the  tops  of  the  mountain, 

And  bare  is  the  oak  on  the  hill ; 
Slowly  the  vapors  exhale  from  the  fountain, 

And  bright  gleams  the  ice-bordered  rill ; 
All  nature  is  seeking  its  annual  rest, 
But  the  slumbers  of  peace  have  deserted  my  breast. 

Long  has  the  storm  poured  its  weight  on  my  nation, 
And  long  have  her  brave  stood  the  shock ; 

Long  has  her  chieftain  ennobled  his  station, 
A  bulwark  on  liberty's  rock  ; 

Unlicensed  ambition  relaxes  its  toil, 

Yet  blighted  affection  represses  my  smile. 

Abroad  the  wild  fury  of  winter  is  lowering, 

And  leafless  and  drear  is  the  tree  ; 
But  the  vertical  sun  of  the  south  appears  pouring 

Its  fierce  killing  hearts  upon  me : 
Without,  all  the  season's  chill  symptoms  begin — 
But  the  fire  of  passion  is  raging  within. 

Frances  abandoned  her  whole  soul  to  the  suppressed 
melody  of  the  music,  though  the  language  of  the  song 
expressed  a  meaning  which,  united  with  certain  events 
of  that  and  the  preceding  day,  left  a  sensation  of  uneasi 
ness  in  the  bosom  of  the  warm-hearted  girl,  to  which  she 
had  hitherto  been  a  stranger.  Isabella  moved  from  the 
window  as  her  last  tones  melted  on  the  ear  of  her  admir 
ing  listener,  and,  for  the  first  time,  her  eye  rested  on  the 


THE  SPY  189 

pallid  face  of  the  intruder.  A  glow  of  fire  lighted  the 
countenance  of  both  at  the  same  instant,  and  the  blue 
eye  of  Frances  met  the  brilliant  black  one  of  her  guest 
for  a  single  moment,  and  both  fell  in  abashed  confusion 
on  the  carpet;  they  advanced,  however,  until  they  met, 
and  had  taken  each  other's  hand,  before  either  ventured 
again  to  look  her  companion  in  the  face. 

"This  sudden  change  in  the  weather,  and  perhaps  the 
situation  of  my  brother,  have  united  to  make  me  melan 
choly,  Miss  Wharton,"  said  Isabella,  in  a  low  tone,  and 
in  a  voice  that  trembled  as  she  spoke. 

"'Tis  thought  you  have  little  to  apprehend  for  your 
brother,"  said  Frances,  in  the  same  embarrassed  manner; 
"had  you  seen  him  when  he  was  brought  in  by  Major 
Dunwoodie — 

Frances  paused,  with  a  feeling  of  conscious  shame,  for 
which  she  could  not  account;  and,  in  raising  her  eyes, 
she  saw  Isabella  studying  her  countenance  with  an  ear 
nestness  that  again  drove  the  blood  tumultuously  to  her 
temples. 

"You  were  speaking  of  Major  Dunwoodie,"  said  Isa 
bella,  faintly. 

"He  was  with  Captain  Singleton." 

"Do  you  know  Dunwoodie?  have  you  seen  him  often?" 
Once  more  Frances  ventured  to  look  her  guest  in  the 
face,  and  again  she  met  the  piercing  eyes  bent  on  her,  as 
if  to  search  her  inmost  heart.  "Speak,  Miss  Wharton; 
is  Major  Dunwoodie  known  to  you?" 

"He  is  my  relative,"  said  Frances,  appalled  at  the 
manner  of  the  other. 

"A  relative!"  echoed  Miss  Singleton;  "in  what  degree? 
— speak,  Miss  Wharton,  I  conjure  you  to  speak." 

"Our  parents  were  cousins,"  faintly  replied  Frances. 

"And  he  is  to  be  your  husband!"  said  the  stranger  im 
petuously. 

Frances  felt  shocked,  and  all  her  pride  awakened,  by 
this  direct  attack  upon  her  feelings,  and  she  raised  1 
eyes  from  the  floor  to  her  interrogator  a  little  proudly 
when  the  pale  cheek  and  quivering  lip  of  Isabella  rem 
her  resentment  in  a  moment. 

"It  is  true!  my  conjecture  is  true;  speak  to  me,  Mis 


190  THE   SPY 

Wharton;  I  conjure  you,  in  mercy  to  my  feelings,  to  tell 
me — do  you  love  Dunwoodie?"  There  was  a  plaintive 
earnestness  in  the  voice  of  Miss  Singleton,  that  disarmed 
Frances  of  all  resentment,  and  the  only  answer  she  could 
make  was  to  hide  her  burning  face  between  her  hands,  as 
she  sank  back  in  a  chair  to  conceal  her  confusion. 

Isabella  paced  the  floor  in  silence  for  several  minutes, 
until  she  had  succeeded  in  conquering  the  violence  of  her 
feelings,  when  she  approached  the  place  where  Frances 
yet  sat,  endeavoring  to  exclude  the  eyes  of  her  companion 
from  reading  the  shame  expressed  in  her  countenance, 
and,  taking  the  hand  of  the  other,  she  spoke  with  an  evi 
dent  effort  at  composure. 

"Pardon  me,  Miss  Wharton,  if  my  ungovernable  feel 
ings  have  led  me  into  impropriety;  the  powerful  motive — 
the  cruel  reason" — she  hesitated;  Frances  now  raised  her 
face,  and  their  eyes  once  more  met;  they  fell  in  each 
other's  arms,  and  laid  their  burning  cheeks  together. 
The  embrace  was  long — was  ardent  and  sincere — but 
neither  spoke;  and,  on  separating,  Frances  retired  to  her 
own  room  without  further  explanation. 

While  this  extraordinary  scene  was  acting  in  the  room 
of  Miss  Singleton,  matters  of  great  importance  were  agi 
tated  in  the  drawing-room.  The  disposition  of  the  frag 
ments  of  such  a  dinner  as  the  one  we  have  recorded  was  a 
task  that  required  no  little  exertion  and  calculation. 
Notwithstanding  several  of  the  small  game  had  nestled 
in  the  pocket  of  Captain  Lawton's  man,  and  even  the 
assistant  of  Dr.  Sitgreaves  had  calculated  the  uncertainty 
of  his  remaining  long  in  such  good  quarters,  still  tnere 
was  more  left  unconsumed  than  the  prudent  Miss  Peyton 
knew  how  to  dispose  of  to  advantage.  Caesar  and  his 
Distress  had,  therefore,  a  long  and  confidential  communi 
cation  on  this  important  business;  and  the  consequence 
was,  that  Colonel  Wellmere  was  left  to  the  hospitality  of 
Sarah  Wharton.  All  the  ordinary  topics  of  conversation 
were  exhausted,  when  the  colonel,  with  a  little  of  the 
uneasiness  that  is  in  some  degree  inseparable  from  con 
scious  error,  touched  lightly  on  the  transactions  of  the 
preceding  day. 

"We  little  thought,  Miss  Wharton,  when  I  first  saw 


THE   SPY  191 

this  Mr.  Dunwoodie  in  your  house  in  Queen  Street,  that 
he  was  to  be  the  renowned  warrior  he  has  proved 'him 
self,"  said  Wellmere,  endeavoring  to  smile  away  his 
chagrin. 

"Renowned,  when  we  consider  the  enemy  he  over 
came,"  said  Sarah,  with  consideration  for  her  companion's 
feelings.  "Twas  unfortunate,  indeed,  in  every  respect, 
that  you  met  with  the  accident,  or  doubtless  the  royal 
arms  would  have  triumphed  in  their  usual  manner." 

"And  yet  the  pleasure  of  such  society  as  this  accident 
has  introduced  me  to,  would  more  than  repay  the  pain  of 
a  mortified  spirit  and  wounded  body,"  added  the  colonel, 
in  a  manner  of  peculiar  softness. 

"I  hope  the  latter  is  but  trifling,"  said  Sarah,  stooping 
to  hide  her  blushes  under  the  pretext  of  biting  a  thread 
from  the  work  on  her  knee. 

"Trifling,  indeed,  compared  to  the  former,"  returned 
the  colonel,  in  the  same  manner.  "Ah!  Miss  Wharton, 
it  is  in  such  moments  that  we  feel  the  full  value  of 
friendship  and  sympathy." 

Those  who  have  never  tried  it  cannot  easily  imagine 
what  a  rapid  progress  a  warm-hearted  female  can  make  in 
love,  in  the  short  space  of  half  an  hour,  particularly  where 
there  is  a  predisposition  to  the  distemper.  Sarah  found 
the  conversation,  when  it  began  to  touch  on  friendship 
and  sympathy,  too  interesting  to  venture  her  voice  with 
a  reply.  She,  however,  turned  her  eyes  on  the  colonel, 
and  saw  him  gazing  at  her  fine  face  with  an  admiration 
that  was  quite  as  manifest,  and  much  more  soothing,  than 
any  words  could  make  it. 

Their  tete-a-tete  was  uninterrupted  for  an  hour;  and 
although  nothing  that  would  be  called  decided,  by  an  ex 
perienced  matron,  was  said  by  the  gentleman,  he  uttered 
a  thousand  things  that  delighted  his  companion,  who 
retired  to  her  rest  with  a  lighter  heart  than  she  had  felt 
since  the  arrest  of  her  brother  by  the  Americans. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

"And  let  me  the  canakin  clink,  clink, 
And  let  me  the  canakin  clink. 
A  soldier's  a  man  ; 
A  life's  but  a  span : 
Why  then,  let  a  soldier  drink." 

—OTHELLO. 

THE  position  held  by  the  corps  of  dragoons,  we  have 
already  said,  was  a  favorite  place  of  halting  with  their 
commander.  A  cluster  of  some  half  dozen  small  and 
dilapidated  buildings  formed  what,  from  the  circum 
stance  of  two  roads  intersecting  each  other  at  right 
angles,  was  called  the  village  of  the  Four  Corners.  As 
usual,  one  of  the  most  imposing  of  these  edifices  had 
been  termed,  in  the  language  of  the  day,  "a  house  of 
entertainment  for  man  and  beast."  On  a  rough  board 
suspended  from  the  gallows-looking  post  that  had  sup 
ported  the  ancient  sign,  was,  however,  written  in  red 
chalk,  "Elizabeth  Flanagan,  her  hotel,"  an  ebullition  of 
the  wit  of  some  of  the  idle  wags  of  the  corps.  The 
matron,  whose  name  had  thus  been  exalted  to  an  office  of 
such  unexpected  dignity,  ordinarily  discharged  the  duties 
of  a  female  sutler,  washer- woman,  and,  to  use  the  lan 
guage  of  Katy  Haynes,  petticoat  doctor  to  the  troops. 
She  was  the  widow  of  a  soldier  who  had  been  killed  in 
the  service,  and  who,  like  herself,  was  a  native  of  a  dis 
tant  island,  and  had  early  tried  his  fortune  in  the  colo 
nies  of  North  America.  She  constantly  migrated  with 
the  troops;  and  it  was  seldom  that  they  became  station 
ary  for  two  days  at  a  time;  but  the  little  cart  of  the 
bustling  woman  was  seen  driving  into  the  encampment 
loaded  with  such  articles  as  she  conceived  would  make 
her  presence  most  welcome.  With  a  celerity  that  seemed 
almost  supernatural,  Betty  took  up  her  ground  and  com 
menced  her  occupation.  Sometimes  the  cart  itself  was 
her  shop;  at  others  the  soldiers  made  her  a  rude  shelter 

192 


THE  SPY  193 

of  such  materials  as  offered;  but  on  the  present  occasion 
she  had  seized  on  a  vacant  building,  and,  by  dint  of 
stuffing  the  dirty  breeches  and  half-dried  linen  of  the 
troopers  into  the  broken  windows,  to  exclude  the  cold, 
which  had  now  become  severe,  she  formed  what  she  her 
self  had  pronounced  to  be  "most  illigant  lodgings."  The 
men  were  quartered  in  the  adjacent  barns,  and  the  offi 
cers  collected  in  the  "Hotel  Flanagan"  as  they  facetiously 
called  headquarters.  Betty  was  well  known  to  every 
trooper  in  the  corps,  could  call  each  by  his  Christian  or 
nickname,  as  best  suited  her  fancy;  and,  although  abso 
lutely  intolerable  to  all  whom  habit  had  not  made  famil 
iar  with  her  virtues,  was  a  general  favorite  with  these 
partisan  warriors.  Her  faults  were,  a  trifling  love  of 
liquor,  excessive  filthiness,  and  a  total  disregard  of  all 
the  decencies  of  language;  her  virtues,  an  unbounded 
love  for  her  adopted  country,  perfect  honesty  when  deal 
ing  on  certain  known  principles  with  the  soldiery,  and 
great  good-nature.  Added  to  these,  Betty  had  the  merit 
of  being  the  inventor  of  that  beverage  which  is  so  well 
known,  at  the  present  hour,  to  all  the  patriots  who  make 
a  winter's  march  between  the  commercial  and  political 
capitals  of  this  great  State,  and  which  is  distinguished  by 
the  name  of  "cock-tail."  Elizabeth  Flanagan  was  pecul 
iarly  well  qualified,  by  education  and  circumstances,  to 
perfect  this  improvement  in  liquors,  having  been  liter 
ally  brought  up  on  its  principal  ingredient,  and  having 
acquired  from  her  Virginian  customers  the  use  of  mint, 
from  its  flavor  in  a  julep  to  its  height  of  renown  in  the 
article  in  question.  Such,  then,  was  the  mistress  of 
mansion,  who,  reckless  of  the  cold  northern  blasts, 
showed  her  blooming  face,  from  the  door  of  the  building 
to  welcome  the  arrival  of  her  favorite,  Captain  Lawton, 
and  his  companion,  her  master  in  matters  of  surgery. 

"Ah!  by  my  hopes  of  promotion,  my  gentle  Elizabeth, 
but  you  are  welcome!"  cried  the  trooper,  as  he  threw 
himself  from  his  saddle;  "this  villainous  fresh-water  gas 
from  the  Canadas  has  been  whistling  among  my  bones 
they  ache  with  the  cold,  but  the  sight  of  your  fiery  c 
tenance  is  as  cheering  as  a  Christmas  fire." 

"Now   sure,  Captain  Jack,  ye's  always  full  of  your 


u 


194  THE   SPY 

complimentaries, "  replied  the  sutler,  taking  the  bridle 
of  her  customer;  "but  hurry  in  for  the  life  of  you,  darl 
ing;  the  fences  hereabouts  are  not  so  strong  as  in  the 
Highlands,  and  there's  that  within  will  warm  both  sowl 
and  body." 

"So  you  have  been  laying  the  rails  under  contribution, 
I  see:  well,  that  may  do  for  the  body, "  said  the  captain, 
coolly;  "but  I  have  had  a  pull  at  a  bottle  of  cut-glass 
with  a  silver  stand,  and  I  doubt  my  relish  for  your 
whiskey  for  a  month  to  come." 

"If  it's  silver  or  goold  that  ye're  thinking  of,  it's  but 
little  I  have,  though  I've  a  trifling  bit  of  the  conti 
nental,"  said  Betty,  with  a  look  of  humor;  "but  there's 
that  within  that's  fit  to  be  put  in  vissels  of  di'monds." 

"What  can  she  mean,  Archibald?"  asked  Lawton; 
"the  animal  looks  as  if  it  meant  more  than  it  says!" 

"Tis  probably  a  wandering  of  the  reasoning  powers, 
created  by  the  frequency  of  intoxicating  draughts,"  ob 
served  the  surgeon,  as  he  deliberately  threw  his  left  leg 
over  the  pommel  of  the  saddle,  and  slid  down  on  the 
right  side  of  his  horse. 

"Faith,  my  dear  jewel  of  a  doctor,  but  it  was  this 
side  I  was  expicting  you:  the  whole  corps  come  down  on 
this  side  but  yerself,"  said  Betty,  winking  at  the 
trooper;  "but  I've  been  feeding  the  wounded,  in  yer 
absence,  with  the  fat  of  the  land." 

"Barbarous  stupidity!"  cried  the  panic-stricken  physi 
cian,  "to  feed  men  laboring  under  the  excitement  of 
fever  with  powerful  nutriment:  woman,  woman,  you  are 
enough  to  defeat  the  skill  of  Hippocrates!" 

"Pooh!"  said  Betty,  with  infinite  composure,  "what  a 
botheration  ye  make  about  a  little  whiskey;  there  was 
but  a  gallon  betwixt  a  good  two  dozen  of  them,  and  I 
gave  it  to  the  boys  to  make  them  sleep  asy;  sure,  jist  as 
slumbering  drops." 

Lawton  and  his  companion  now  entered  the  building, 
and  the  first  objects  which  met  their  eyes  explained  the 
hidden  meaning  of  Betty's  comfortable  declaration.  A 
long  table,  made  of  boards  torn  from  the  side  of  an 
outbuilding,  was  stretched  through  the  middle  of  the 
largest  apartment,  or  the  bar-room,  and  on  it  was  a  very 


THE  SPY  19:, 

scanty  display  of  crockery  ware.  The  steams  of  cookery 
arose  from  an  adjoining  kitchen,  but  the  principal  at 
traction  was  in  a  demijohn  of  fair  proportions,  which 
had  been  ostentatiously  placed  on  high  by  Betty  as  the 
object  most  worthy  of  notice.  Lawton  soon  learnt  that 
it  was  teeming  with  the  real  amber-colored  juice  of  the 
grape,  and  had  been  sent  from  the  Locusts,  as  an  offering 
to  Major  Dunwoodie,  from  his  friend  Captain  Wharton  of 
the  royal  army. 

"And  a  royal  gift  it  is,"  said  the  grinning  subaltern, 
who  made  the  explanation.  "The  major  gives  us  an 
entertainment  in  honor  of  our  victory,  and  you  see  the 
principal  expense  is  borne  as  it  should  be,  by  the  enemy. 
Zounds!  I  am  thinking  that  after  we  have  primed  with 
such  stuff,  we  could  charge  through  Sir  Henry's  head 
quarters,  and  carry  off  the  knight  himself." 

The  captain  of  dragoons  was  in  no  manner  displeased  at 
the  prospect  of  terminating  so  pleasantly  a  day  that  had 
been  so  agreeably  commenced.  He  was  soon  surrounded 
by  his  comrades,  who  made  many  eager  inquiries  con 
cerning  his  adventures,  while  the  surgeon  proceeded,  with 
certain  quakings  of  the  heart,  to  examine  into  the  state 
of  his  wounded.  Enormous  fires  were  snapping  in  the 
chimneys  of  the  house,  superseding  the  necessity  of  can 
dles,  by  the  bright  light  which  was  thrown  from  the 
blazing  piles.  The  group  within  were  all  young  men, 
and  tried  soldiers;  in  number  they  were  rather  more  than 
a  dozen,  and  their  manners  and  conversation  were  a 
strange  mixture  of  the  bluntness  of  the  partisan  with  the 
manners  of  gentlemen.  Their  dresses  were  neat,  though 
plain;  and  a  never-failing  topic  amongst  them  was  the 
performance  and  quality  of  their  horses.  Some  were 
endeavoring  to  sleep  on  the  benches  which  lined  the  walls, 
some  were  walking  the  apartments,  and  others  were 
seated  in  earnest  discussion  on  subjects  connected  with 
the  business  of  their  lives.  Occasionally  as  the  door  of 
the  kitchen  opened,  the  hissing  sounds  of  the  frying-pans 
and  the  inviting  savor  of  the  food  created  a  stagnation  in 
all  other  employments;  even  the  sleepers,  at  such  mo 
ments,  would  open  their  eyes  and  raise  their  heads,  t< 
reconnoitre  the  state  of  the  preparations.  All  this  time 


196  THE   SPY 

Dunwoodie  sat  by  himself,  gazing  at  the  fire,  and  lost  in 
reflections  which  none  of  his  officers  presumed  to  disturb. 
He  had  made  earnest  inquiries  of  Sitgreaves  after  the 
condition  of  Singleton,  during  which  a  profound  and 
respectful  silence  was  maintained  in  the  room;  but  as  soon 
as  he  had  ended,  and  resumed  his  seat,  the  usual  ease  and 
freedom  prevailed. 

The  arrangement  of  the  table  was  a  matter  of  but  little 
concern  to  Mrs.  Flanagan;  and  Caesar  would  have  been 
sadly  scandalized  at  witnessing  the  informality  with 
which  various  dishes,  each  bearing  a  wonderful  resem 
blance  to  the  others,  were  placed  before  so  many  gentle 
men  of  consideration.  In  taking  their  places  at  the 
board,  the  strictest  attention  was  paid  to  precedency;  for, 
notwithstanding  the  freedom  of  manners  which  prevailed 
in  the  corps,  the  points  of  military  etiquette  were  at  all 
times  observed,  with  something  approaching  to  religious 
veneration.  Most  of  the  guests  had  been  fasting  too  long 
to  be  in  any  degree  fastidious  in  their  appetites;  but  the 
case  was  different  with  Captain  Lawton;  he  felt  an  unac 
countable  loathing  at  the  exhibition  of  Betty's  food,  and 
could  not  refrain  from  making  a  few  passing  comments 
on  the  condition  of  the  knives,  and  the  clouded  aspect  of 
the  plates.  The  good-nature  and  the  personal  affection 
of  Betty  for  the  offender,  restrained  her,  for  some  time, 
from  answering  his  innuendoes,  until  Lawton,  having 
ventured  to  admit  a  piece  of  the  black  meat  into  his 
mouth,  inquired,  with  the  affectation  of  a  spoiled  child: 

"What  kind  of  animal  might  this  have  been  when  liv 
ing,  Mrs.  Flanagan?" 

"Sure,  captain,  and  wasn't  it  the  ould  cow?"  replied 
the  sutler,  with  a  warmth  that  proceeded  partly  from 
dissatisfaction  at  the  complaints  of  her  favorite,  and 
partly  from  grief  at  the  loss  of  the  deceased. 

"What!"  roared  the  trooper,  stopping  short  as  he  was 
about  to  swallow  his  morsel,  "ancient  Jenny!" 

"The  devil!"  cried  another,  dropping  his  knife  and 
fork,  "she  who  made  the  campaign  of  the  Jerseys  with 
us?" 

"The  very  same,"  replied  the  mistress  of  the  hotel, 
with  a  piteous  aspect  of  woe;  "a  gentle  baste,  and  one 


THE   SPY  197 

that  could  and  did  live  on  less  than  air,  at  need.  Sure, 
gentlemen,  'tis  awful  to  have  to  eat  sitch  an  ould 
frind." 

"And  has  she  sunk  to  this?"  said  Lawton,  pointing 
with  his  knife  to  the  remnants  on  the  table. 

"Nay,  captain,"  said  Betty,  with  spirit,  "I  sould  two 
of  her  quarters  to  some  of  your  troop;  but  divil  the  word 
did  I  tell  the  boys  what  an  ould  frind  it  was  they  had 
bought,  for  fear  it  might  damage  their  appetites." 

"Fury!"  cried  the  trooper,  with  affected  anger,  "I 
shall  have  my  fellows  as  limber  as  supple-jacks  on  such 
fare;  afraid  of  an  Englishman  as  a  Virginian  negro  is  of 
his  driver." 

"Well,"  said  Lieutenant  Mason,  dropping  his  knife 
and  fork  in  a  kind  of  despair,  "my  jaws  have  more  sym 
pathy  than  many  men's  hearts.  They  absolutely  decline 
making  any  impression  on  the  relics  of  their  old  ac 
quaintance.  ' ' 

"Try  a  drop  of  the  gift,"  said  Betty,  soothingly,  pour 
ing  a  large  allowance  of  the  wine  into  a  bowl,  and  drink 
ing  it  off  as  taster  to  the  corps.  "Faith,  'tis  but  a 
wishy-washy  sort  of  stuff  after  all!" 

The  ice  once  broken,  however,  a  clear  glass  of  wine 
was  handed  to  Dunwoodie,  who,  bowing  to  his  compan 
ions,  drank  the  liquor  in  the  midst  of  a  profound  silence. 
For  a  few  glasses  there  was  much  formality  observed, 
and  sundry  patriotic  toasts  and  sentiments  were  duly 
noticed  by  the  company.  The  liquor,  however,  performed 
its  wonted  office;  and  before  the  second  sentinel  at  the 
door  had  been  relieved,  all  recollection  of  the  dinner  a 
their  cares  was  lost  in  the  present  festivity, 
greaves  did  not  return  in  season  to  partake  of  Jenny,  but 
he  was  in  time  to  receive  his  fair  proportion  of  Captain 
Wharton's  present. 

"A  song,  a  song  from  Captain  Lawton!"  cried  two 
three  of  the  party  in  a  breath,  on  observing  the  frill 
of  some  of  the  points  of  good-fellowship  ^n  the  trooper, 
"silence,  for  the  song  of  Captain  Lawton." 

"Gentlemen,"  returned  Lawton,  his  dark  eyes  swin 
ming  with  the  bumpers  he  had  finished,  though  his  head 
was   as  impenetrable  as  a  post;   "I  am  not  much  o 


198  THE   SPY 

nightingale,  but,  under  the  favor  of  your  good  wishes,  I 
consent  to  comply  with  the  demand." 

"Now,  Jack,"  said  Sitgreaves,  nodding  on  his  seat, 
"remember  the  air  I  taught  you,  and — stop,  I  have  a 
copy  of  the  words  in  my  pocket. ' ' 

"Forbear,  forbear,  good  doctor,"  said  the  trooper, 
filling  his  glass  with  great  deliberation;  "I  never  could 
wheel  around  those  hard  names.  Gentlemen,  I  will  give 
you  a  humble  attempt  of  my  own." 

"Silence,  for  Captain  Lawton's  song!"  roared  five  or 
six  at  once;  when  the  trooper  proceeded,  in  a  fine  full 
tone,  to  sing  the  following  words  to  a  well-known  bac 
chanalian  air,  several  of  his  comrades  helping  him 
through  the  chorus  with  a  fervor  that  shook  the  crazy 
edifice  they  were  in: 

Now  push  the  mug,  my  jolly  boys, 

And  live,  while  live  we  can  ; 
To-morrow's  sun  may  end  your  joys. 

For  brief's  the  hour  of  man. 
And  he  who  bravely  meets  the  foe 
His  lease  of  life  can  never  know. 

Old  mother  Flanagan 

Come  and  fill  the  can  again ! 
For  you  can  fill,  and  we  can  swill, 
Good  Betty  Flanagan. 

If  love  of  life  pervades  your  breast, 

Or  love  of  ease  your  frame, 
Quit  honor's  path  for  peaceful  rest, 

And  bear  a  coward's  name  ; 
For  soon  and  late,  we  danger  know. 
And  fearless  on  the  saddle  go. 

Old  mother,  etc. 

When  foreign  foes  invade  the  land, 

And  wives  and  sweethearts  call, 
In  freedom's  cause  we'll  bravely  stand. 

Or  will  as  bravely  fall ; 
In  this  fair  home  the  fates  have  given, 
We'll  live  as  lords,  or  live  in  heaven. 

Old  mother,  etc. 

At  each  appeal  made  to  herself,  by  the  united  voices  of 
the  choir,  Betty  invariably  advanced  and  complied  liter 
ally  with  the  request  contained  in  the  chorus,  to  the 


THE  SPY  199 

infinite  delight  of  the  singers,  and  with  no  small  partici 
pation  in  the  satisfaction  on  her  own  account.  The 
hostess  was  provided  with  a  beverage  more  suited  to  the 
high  seasoning  to  which  she  had  accustomed  her  palate, 
than  the  tasteless  present  of  Captain  Wharton;  by  which 
means  Betty  had  managed,  with  tolerable  facility,  to  keep 
even  pace  with  the  exhilaration  of  her  guests.  The 
applause  received  by  Captain  Lawton  was  general,  with 
the  exception  of  the  surgeon,  who  rose  from  the  bench 
during  the  first  chorus,  and  paced  the  floor,  in  a  flow 
of  classical  indignation.  The  bravos  and  bravissimos 
drowned  all  other  noises  for  a  short  time;  but  as  they 
gradually  ceased,  the  doctor  turned  to  the  musician,  and 
exclaimed,  with  heat: 

"Captain  Lawton,  I  marvel  that  a  gentleman,  and  a 
gallant  officer,  can  find  no  other  subject  for  his  muse,  in 
these  times  of  trial,  than  in  such  beastly  invocations  to 
that  notorious  follower  of  the  camp,  the  filthy  Elizabeth 
Flanagan.  Methinks  the  goddess  of  Liberty  could  furnish 
a  more  noble  inspiration,  and  the  sufferings  of  your  coun 
try  a  more  befitting  theme." 

"Heyday!"  shouted  the  hostess,  advancing  towards 
him  in  a  threatening  attitude;  "and  who  is  it  that  calls 
me  filthy?  Master  Squirt!  Master  Pop-gun— 

"Peace!"  said  Dunwoodie,  in  a  voice  that  was  exerted 
but  a  little  more  than  common,  but  which  was  succeeded 
by  the  stillness  of  death;  "woman,  leave  the  room. 
Sitgreaves,  I  call  you  to  your  seat,  to  wait  the  order  of 
the  revels." 

"Proceed,  proceed,"  said  the  surgeon,   drawing 
self  up  in  an  attitude  of  dignified  composure;   "I  trust, 
Major  Dunwoodie,  I  am  not  unacquainted  with  the  rules 
of  decorum,  nor  ignorant  of  the  by-laws  of  good-fellow 
ship.  ' '     Betty  made  a  hasty  but  somewhat  devious  retreat 
to  her  own  dominions,  being  unaccustomed  to  dispute  t 
orders  of  the  commanding  officer. 

"Major  Dunwoodie  will  honor  us  with  a  sentimen 
song  "  said  Lawton,  bowing  to  his  leader,  with  the  col 
lected  manner  he  so  well  knew  how  to  assume. 

The  major  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  sang,  Wit 
fine  execution,  the  following  words: 


200  THE   SPY 

Some  love  the  heats  of  southern  suns, 
Where  life's  warm  current  maddening  runs, 

In  one  quick  circling  stream ; 
But  dearer  far's  the  mellow  light 
Which  trembling  shines,  reflected  bright 

In  Luna's  milder  beam. 

Some  love  the  tulip's  gaudier  dyes 
Where  deepening  blue  with  yellow  vies, 

And  gorgeous  beauty  glows  ; 
But  happier  he,  whose  bridal  wreath, 
By  love  entwined,  is  found  to  breathe 

The  sweetness  of  the  rose. 


The  voice  of  Dunwoodie  never  lost  its  authority  with 
his  inferiors;  and  the  applause  which  followed  his  songs, 
though  by  no  means  so  riotous  as  that  which  succeeded 
the  effort  of  the  captain,  was  much  more  flattering. 

"If,  sir,"  said  the  doctor,  after  joining  in  the  plaudits 
of  his  companions,  "you  would  but  learn  to  unite  classi 
cal  allusions  with  your  delicate  imagination,  you  would 
become  a  pretty  amateur  poet. ' ' 

"He  who  criticises  ought  to  be  able  to  perform,"  said 
Dunwoodie  with  a  smile.  "I  call  on  Dr.  Sitgreaves  for 
a  specimen  of  the  style  he  admires." 

"Dr.  Sitgreaves'  song!  Dr.  Sitgreaves'  song!"  echoed 
all  at  the  table  with  delight;  "a  classical  ode  from  Dr. 
Sitgreaves!" 

The  surgeon  made  a  complacent  bow,  took  the  remnant 
of  his  glass,  and  gave  a  few  preliminary  hems,  that 
served  hugely  to  delight  three  or  four  young  cornets  at 
the  foot  of  the  table.  He  then  commenced  singing,  in  a 
cracked  voice,  and  to  anything  but  a  tune,  the  following 
ditty: 

Hast  thou  ever  felt  love's  dart,  dearest, 

Or  breathed  his  trembling  sigh — 
Thought  him,  afar,  was  ever  nearest, 
Before  that  sparkling  eye? 
Then  hast  thou  known  what  'tis  to  feel 
The  pain  that  Galen  could  not  heal. 

"Hurrah!"  shouted  Lawton:  "Archibald  eclipses  the 
muses  themselves;  his  words  flow  like  the  sylvan  stream 


THE  SPY  201 

by  moonlight,  and  his  melody  is  a  cross  breed  of  the 
nightingale  and  the  owl." 

"Captain  Lawton,"  cried  the  exasperated  operator,  "it 
is  one  thing  to  despise  the  lights  of  classical  learning, 
and  another  to  be  despised  for  your  own  ignorance!" 

A  loud  summons  at  the  door  of  the  building  created  a 
dead  halt  in  the  uproar,  and  the  dragoons  instinctively 
caught  up  their  arms,  to  be  prepared  for  the  worst.  The 
door  was  opened,  and  the  Skinners  entered,  dragging  in 
the  peddler,  bending  beneath  the  load  of  his  pack. 

"Which  is  Captain  Lawton?"  said  the  leader  of  the 
gang,  gazing  around  him  in  some  little  astonishment. 

"He  waits  your  pleasure,"  said  the  trooper,  dryly. 

"Then  here  I  deliver  to  your  hands  a  condemned 
traitor:  this  is  Harvey  Birch,  the  peddler  spy." 

Lawton  started  as  he  looked  his  old  acquaintance  in  the 
face,  and,  turning  to  the  Skinner  with  a  lowering  look, 
he  asked: 

"And  who  are  you,  sir,  that  speak  so  freely  of  your 
neighbors?  But,"  bowing  to  Dunwoodie,  "your  pardon, 
sir;  here  is  the  commanding  officer;  to  him  you  will 
please  address  yourself." 

"No,"  said  the  man,  sullenly,  "it  is  to  you  I  deliver 
the  peddler,  and  from  you  I  claim  my  reward." 

"Are  you  Harvey  Birch?"  said  Dunwoodie,  advancing 
with  an  air  of  authority  that  instantly  drove  the  Skinner 
to  a  corner  of  the  room. 

"I  am,"  said  Birch,  proudly. 

"And  a  traitor  to  your  country,"  continued  the  major, 
with  sternness;  "do  you  know  that  I  should  be  justified 
in  ordering  your  execution  this  night?" 

"'Tisnot  the  will  of  God  to  call  a  soul  so  hastily  to  his 
presence,"  said  the  peddler,  with  solemnity. 

"You  speak  truth,"  said  Dunwoodie;  "and  a  few  brief 
hours  shall  he  added  to  your  life.  But  as  your  offence  is 
most  odious  to  a  soldier,  so  it  will  be  sure  to  meet  with 
the  soldier's  vengeance:  you  die  to-morrow." 

'"Tis  as  God  wills." 

"I  have  spent  many  a  good  hour  to  entrap  the  villain, 
said    the  Skinner,   advancing  a   little   from  his  corner, 
"and  I  hope  you  will  give  me  a  certificate  that  will  en- 


202  THE   SPY 

title  us  to  the  reward;  'twas  promised  to  be  paid  in 
gold." 

"Major  Dunwoodie,"  said  the  officer  of  the  day,  enter 
ing  the  room,  "the  patrols  report  a  house  to  be  burnt 
near  yesterday's  battle-ground." 

"'Twas  the  hut  of  the  peddler,"  muttered  the  leader  of 
the  gang;  "we  have  not  left  him  a  shingle  for  shelter;  I 
should  have  burnt  it  months  ago,  but  I  wanted  his  shed 
for  a  trap  to  catch  the  sly  fox  in." 

"You  seem  a  most  ingenious  patriot,"  said  Lawton. 
"Major  Dunwoodie,  I  second  the  request  of  this  worthy 
gentleman,  and  crave  the  office  of  bestowing  the  reward 
on  him  and  his  fellows." 

"Take  it;  and  you,  miserable  man,  prepare  for  that 
fate  which  will  surely  befall  you  before  the  setting  of  to 
morrow's  sun." 

"Life  offers  but  little  to  tempt  me  with,"  said  Har 
vey,  slowly  raising  his  eyes,  and  gazing  wildly  at  the 
strange  faces  in  the  apartment. 

"Come,  worthy  children  of  America!"  said  Lawton, 
"follow,  and  receive  your  reward." 

The  gang  eagerly  accepted  the  invitation,  and  followed 
the  captain  towards  the  quarters  assigned  to  his  troop. 

Dunwoodie  paused  a  moment,  from  reluctance  to  tri 
umph  over  a  fallen  foe,  before  he  proceeded. 

"You  have  already  been  tried,  Harvey  Birch;  and  the 
truth  has  proved  you  to  be  an  enemy  too  dangerous  to  the 
liberties  of  America  to  be  suffered  to  live." 

"The  truth,"  echoed  the  peddler,  starting,  and  raising 
himself  in  a  manner  that  disregarded  the  weight  of  his 
pack. 

"Aye!  the  truth;  you  were  charged  with  loitering  near 
the  continental  army,  to  gain  intelligence  of  its  move 
ments,  and,  by  communicating  them  to  the  enemy,  to 
enable  him  to  frustrate  the  intentions  of  Washington." 

"Will  Washington  say  so,  think  you?" 

"Doubtless  he  would;  even  the  justice  of  Washington 
condemns  you. ' ' 

"No,  no,  no,"  cried  the  peddler,  in  a  voice  and  with  a 
manner  that  startled  Dunwoodie;  "Washington  can  see 
beyond  the  hollow  views  of  pretended  patriots.  Has  he 


THE   SPY  203 

not  risked  his  all  on  the  cast  of  a  die?  if  a  gallows  is 
ready  for  me,  was  there  not  one  for  him  also?  No,  no, 
no, — Washington  would  never  say,  'Lead  him  to  a  gal 
lows.'" 

"Have  you  anything,  wretched  man,  to  urge  to  the 
commander-in-chief  why  you  should  not  die?"  said  the 
major,  recovering  from  the  surprise  created  by  the  man 
ner  of  the  other. 

Birch  trembled,  for  violent  emotions  were  contending 
in  his  bosom.  His  face  assumed  the  ghastly  paleness  of 
death,  and  his  hand  drew  a  box  of  tin  from  the  folds  of 
his  shirt;  he  opened  it,  showing  by  the  act  that  it  con 
tained  a  small  piece  of  paper:  on  this  document  his  eye 
was  for  an  instant  fixed — he  had  already  held  it  towards 
Dunwoodie,  when  suddenly  withdrawing  his  hand,  he 
exclaimed : 

"No — it  dies  with  me;  I  know  the  conditions  of  my 
service,  and  will  not  purchase  life  with  their  forfeiture — 
it  dies  with  me." 

"Deliver that  paper,  and  you  may  possibly  find  favor," 
cried  Dunwoodie,  expecting  a  discovery  of  importance  to 
the  cause. 

"It  dies  with  me,"  repeated  Birch,  a  flush  passing 
over  his  pallid  features,  and  lighting  them  with  extraor 
dinary  brilliancy. 

"Seize  the  traitor!"  cried  the  major,  "and  wrest  the 
secret  from  his  hands." 

The  order  was  immediately  obeyed ;  but  the  movements 
of  the  peddler  were  too  quick;  in  an  instant  he  swallowed 
the  paper.  The  officers  paused  in  astonishment;  but  the 
surgeon  cried,  eagerly: 

"Hold  him,  while  I  administer  an  emetic." 

"Forbear!"  said  Dunwoodie,  beckoning  him  back  with 
his  hand;  "if  his  crime  is  great,  so  will  his  punishment 
be  heavy." 

"Lead  on,"  cried  the  peddler,  dropping  his  pack  from 
his  shoulders,  and  advancing  towards  the  door  with  a 
manner  of  incomprehensible  dignity. 

"Whither?"  asked  Dunwoodie,   in  amazement. 

"To  the  gallows." 

"No,"  said  the  major,  recoiling  in  horror  at  his  own 


204  THE   SPY 

justice.  "My  duty  requires  that  I  order  you  to  be  exe 
cuted,  but  surely  not  so  hastily;  take  until  nine  to-mor 
row  to  prepare  for  the  awful  change. ' ' 

Dunwoodie  whispered  his  orders  in  the  ear  of  a  sub 
altern,  and  motioned  to  the  peddler  to  withdraw.  The 
interruption  caused  by  this  scene  prevented  further  enjoy 
ment  around  the  table,  and  the  officers  dispersed  to  their 
several  places  of  rest.  In  a  short  time  the  only  noise  to 
be  heard  was  the  heavy  tread  of  the  sentinel,  as  he  paced 
the  frozen  ground  in  front  of  the  Hotel  Flanagan. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

"There  are,  whose  changing:  lineaments 
Express  each  guileless  passion  of  the  breast; 
Where  Love,  and  Hope,  and  tender-hearted  Pity 
Are  seen  reflected,  as  from  a  mirror's  face ; 
But  cold  experience  can  veil  these  hues 
With  looks,  invented  shrewdly  to  encompass 
The  cunning  purposes  of  base  deceit." 

—Duo. 

THE  officer  to  whose  keeping  Dunwoodie  had  committed 
the  peddler  transferred  his  charge  to  the  custody  of  the 
regular  sergeant  of  the  guard.  The  gift  of  Captain 
Wharton  had  not  been  lost  on  the  youthful  lieutenant; 
and  a  certain  dancing  motion  that  had  taken  possession 
of  objects  before  his  eyes,  gave  him  warning  of  the 
necessity  of  recruiting  nature  by  sleep.  After  admonish 
ing  the  non-commissioned  guardian  of  Harvey  to  omit  no 
watchfulness  in  securing  the  prisoner,  the  youth  wrapped 
himself  in  his  cloak,  and,  stretched  on  a  bench  before  a 
fire,  soon  found  the  repose  he  needed.  A  rude  shed  ex 
tended  the  whole  length  of  the  rear  of  the  building,  and 
from  off  one  of  its  ends  had  been  partitioned  a  small 
apartment,  that  was  intended  as  a  repository  for  many  of 
the  lesser  implements  of  husbandry.  The  lawless  times 
had,  however,  occasioned  its  being  stripped  of  everything 
of  value;  and  the  searching  eyes  of  Betty  Flanagan 
selected  this  spot,  on  her  arrival,  as  the  storehouse  for 
her  movables,  and  a  sanctuary  for  her  person.  The  spare 
arms  and  baggage  of  the  corps  had  also  been  deposited 
here;  and  the  united  treasures  were  placed  under  the  eye 
of  the  sentinel  who  paraded  the  shed  as  a  guardian  of  the 
rear  of  the  headquarters.  A  second  soldier,  who  was 
stationed  near  the  house  to  protect  the  horses  of  the  offi 
cers,  could  command  a  view  of  the  outside  of  the  apart 
ment;  and,  as  it  was  without  window  or  outlet  of  any 
kind,  excepting  its  door,  the  considerate  sergeant 

205 


206  THE  SPY 

thought  this  the  most  befitting  place  in  which  to  deposit 
his  prisoner  until  the  moment  of  his  execution.  Several 
inducements  urged  Sergeant  Hollister  to  this  determina 
tion,  among  which  was  the  absence  of  the  washerwoman, 
who  lay  before  the  kitchen  fire,  dreaming  that  the  corps 
was  attacking  a  party  of  the  enemy,  and  mistaking  the 
noise  that  proceeded  from  her  own  nose  for  the  bugles  of 
the  Virginians  sounding  the  charge.  Another  was  the 
peculiar  opinions  that  the  veteran  entertained  of  life  and 
death,  and  by  which  he  was  distinguished  in  the  corps  as 
a  man  of  most  exemplary  piety  and  holiness  of  life.  The 
sergeant  was  more  than  fifty  years  of  age,  and  for  half 
that  period  he  had  borne  arms.  The  constant  recurrence 
of  sudden  deaths  before  his  eyes  had  produced  an  effect 
on  him  differing  greatly  from  that  which  was  the  usual 
moral  consequence  of  such  scenes;  and  he  had  become 
not  only  the  most  steady,  but  the  most  trustworthy  sol 
dier  in  his  troop.  Captain  Lawton  had  rewarded  his 
fidelity  by  making  him  its  orderly. 

Followed  by  Birch,  the  sergeant  proceeded  in  silence  to 
the  door  of  the  intended  prison,  and,  throwing  it  open 
with  one  hand,  he  held  a  lantern  with  the  other  to  light 
the  peddler  to  his  prison.  Seating  himself  on  a  cask, 
that  contained  some  of  Betty's  favorite  beverage,  the 
sergeant  motioned  to  Birch  to  occupy  another,  in  the 
same  manner.  The  lantern  was  placed  on  the  floor,  when 
the  dragoon,  after  looking  his  prisoner  steadily  in  the 
face,  observed: 

"You  look  as  if  you  would  meet  death  like  a  man;  and 
I  have  brought  you  to  a  spot  where  you  can  tranquilly 
arrange  your  thoughts,  and  be  quiet  and  undisturbed." 

"'Tis  a  fearful  place  to  prepare  for  the  last  change 
in,"  said  Harvey,  gazing  around  his  little  prison  with  a 
vacant  eye. 

"Why,  for  the  matter  of  that,"  returned  the  veteran, 
"it  can  reckon  but  little,  in  the  great  account,  where  a 
man  parades  his  thoughts  for  the  last  review,  so  that  he 
finds  them  fit  to  pass  the  muster  of  another  world.  I 
have  a  small  book  here  which  I  make  it  a  point  to  read  a 
little  in,  whenever  we  are  about  to  engage,  and  I  find  it 
a  great  strengthener  in  time  of  need. ' '  While  speaking. 


THE  SPY  207 

he  took  a  Bible  from  his  pocket,  and  offered  it  to  the 
peddler.  Birch  received  the  volume  with  habitual  rever 
ence;  but  there  was  an  abstracted  air  about  him,  and  a 
wandering  of  the  eye,  that  induced  his  companion  to 
think  that  alarm  was  getting  the  mastery  of  the  peddler's 
feelings;  accordingly,  he  proceeded  in  what  he  conceived 
to  be  the  offices  of  consolation. 

"If  anything  lies  heavy  on  your  mind,  now  is  the  best 
time  to  get  rid  of  it — if  you  have  done  any  wrong  to  any 
one,  I  promise  you,  on  the  word  of  an  honest  dragoon,  to 
lend  you  a  helping  hand  to  see  them  righted." 

"There  are  few  who  have  not  done  so,"  said  the  ped 
dler,  turning  his  vacant  gaze  once  more  on  his  companion. 

"True — 'tis  natural  to  sin;  but  it  sometimes  happens 
that  a  man  does  what  at  other  times  he  may  be  sorry  for. 
One  would  not  wish  to  die  with  any  very  heavy  sin  on  his 
conscience,  after  all." 

Harvey  had  by  this  time  thoroughly  examined  the  place 
in  which  he  was  to  pass  the  night,  and  saw  no  means  of 
escape.  But  as  hope  is  ever  the  last  feeling  to  desert  the 
human  breast,  the  peddler  gave  the  dragoon  more  of  his 
attention,  fixing  on  his  sunburnt  features  such  searching 
looks,  that  Sergeant  Hollister  lowered  his  eyes  before  the 
wild  expression  which  he  met  in  the  gaze  of  his  prisoner. 

"I  have  been  taught  to  lay  the  burden  of  my  sins  at 
the  feet  of  my  Saviour,"  replied  the  peddler. 

"Why,  yes — all  that  is  well  enough,"  returned  the 
other;  "but  justice  should  be  done  while  there  is  oppor 
tunity.  There  have  been  stirring  times  in  this  country 
since  the  war  began,  and  many  have  been  deprived  of 
their  rightful  goods.  I  oftentimes  find  it  hard  to  recon 
cile  even  my  lawful  plunder  to  a  tender  conscience." 

"These  hands,"  said  the  peddler,  stretching  forth  his 
meagre,  bony  fingers,  "have  spent  years  in  toil,  but  not  a 
moment  in  pilfering." 

"It  is  well  that  it  is  so,"  said  the  honest-hearted  sol 
dier,  "and,  no  doubt,  you  now  feel  it  a  great  consolation. 
There  are  three  great  sins,  that,  if  a  man  can  keep  his 
conscience  clear  of,  why,  by  the  mercy  of  God,  he  may 
hope  to  pass  muster  with  the  saints  in  heaven:  they  are 
stealing,  murdering,  and  desertion." 


208  THE   SPY 

"Thank  God!"  said  Birch,  with  fervor,  "I  have  never 
yet  taken  the  life  of  a  fellow-creature." 

"As  to  killing  a  man  in  lawful  battle,  that  is  no  more 
than  doing  one's  duty.  If  the  cause  is  wrong,  the  sin  of 
such  a  deed,  you  know,  falls  on  the  nation,  and  a  man 
receives  his  punishment  here  with  the  rest  of  the  people; 
but  murdering  in  cold  blood  stands  next  to  desertion  as  a 
crime  in  the  eye  of  God." 

"I  never  was  a  soldier,  therefore  never  could  desert," 
said  the  peddler,  resting  his  face  on  his  hand  in  a  melan 
choly  attitude. 

"Why,  desertion  consists  of  more  than  quitting  your 
colors,  though  that  is  certainly  the  worst  kind;  a  man 
may  desert  his  country  in  the  hour  of  need. ' ' 

Birch  buried  his  face  in  both  his  hands,  and  his  whole 
frame  shook ;  the  sergeant  regarded  him  closely,  but  good 
feelings  soon  got  the  better  of  his  antipathies,  and  he 
continued  more  mildly: 

"But  still  that  is  a  sin  which  I  think  may  be  forgiven, 
if  sincerely  repented  of;  and  it  matters  but  little  when  or 
how  a  man  dies,  so  that  he  dies  like  a  Christian  and  a 
man.  I  recommend  you  to  say  your  prayers,  and  then  to 
get  some  rest,  in  order  that  you  may  do  both.  There  is 
no  hope  of  your  being  pardoned;  for  Colonel  Singleton 
has  sent  down  the  most  positive  orders  to  take  your 
life  whenever  we  met  you.  No,  no — nothing  can  save 
you." 

"You  say  the  truth,"  cried  Birch.  "It  is  now  too 
late — I  have  destroyed  my  only  safeguard.  But  he  will  do 
my  memory  justice  at  least." 

"What  safeguard?"  asked  the  sergeant,  with  awakened 
curiosity. 

"'Tis  nothing,"  replied  the  peddler,  recovering  his 
natural  manner,  and  lowering  his  face  to  avoid  the  ear 
nest  looks  of  his  companion. 

"And  who  is  he?" 

"No  one,"  added  Harvey,  anxious  to  say  no  more. 

"Nothing  and  no  one  can  avail  but  little  now,"  said 
the  sergeant,  rising  to  go;  "lay  yourself  on  the  blanket 
of  Mrs.  Flanagan,  and  get  a  little  sleep;  I  will  call  you 
betimes  in  the  morning;  and  from  the  bottom  of  my  soul 


THE  SPY  209 

I  wish  I  could  be  of  some  service  to  you,  for  I  dislike 
greatly  to  see  a  man  hung  up  like  a  dog." 

"Then  you  might  save  me  from  this  ignominious 
death,"  said  Birch,  springing  to  his  feet,  and  catching 
the  dragoon  by  the  arm.  "And,  oh!  what  will  I  not  give 
you  in  reward!" 

"In  what  manner?"  asked  the  sergeant,  looking  at  him 
in  surprise. 

"See,"  said  the  peddler,  producing  several  guineas 
from  his  person;  "these  are  nothing  to  what  I  will  give 
you,  if  you  will  assist  me  to  escape." 

"Were  you  the  man  whose  picture  is  on  the  gold,  I 
would  not  listen  to  such  a  crime,"  said  the  trooper, 
throwing  the  money  on  the  floor  with  contempt.  "Go — 
go,  poor  wretch,  and  make  your  peace  with  God;  for  it  is 
He  only  that  can  be  of  service  to  you  now." 

The  sergeant  took  up  the  lantern  and,  with  some  indig 
nation  in  his  manner,  he  left  the  peddler  to  sorrowful 
meditations  on  his  approaching  fate.  Birch  sunk,  in  mo 
mentary  despair,  on  the  pallet  of  Betty,  while  his  guar 
dian  proceeded  to  give  the  necessary  instructions  to  the 
sentinels  for  his  safe-keeping. 

Hollister  concluded  his  injunctions  to  the  man  in  the 
shed,  by  saying,  "Your  life  will  depend  on  his  not 
escaping.  Let  none  enter  or  quit  the  room  till  morn 
ing." 

"But,"  said  the  trooper,  "my  orders  are,  to  let  the 
washerwoman  pass  in  and  out,  as  she  pleases. 

"Well,  let  her  then;  but  be  careful  that  this  wily  ped 
dler  does  not  get  out  in  the  folds  of  her  petticoat."  He 
then  continued  his  walk,  giving  similar  orders  to  each  of 
the  sentinels  near  the  spot. 

For  some  time   after   the  departure  of  the  sergeant, 
silence  prevailed  within  the  solitary  prison  of  the  ped 
dler,  until  the  dragoon  at  his  door  heard  his  loud  breath 
ings,  which  soon  rose  into  the  regular  cadence  of  one  in 
a  deep  sleep.     The  man  continued  walking  his  post,  mus 
ing  on  an  indifference  to  life  which  could  allow  nature 
its  customary  rest,  even  on  the  threshold  of  the  grave. 
Harvey  Birch  had,  however,  been  a  name  too  long  I 
detestation  by  every  man  in  the  corps,  to  suffer  any  f 

14 


210  THE   SPY 

ings  of  commiseration  to  mingle  with  these  reflections  of 
the  sentinel;  for,  notwithstanding  the  consideration  and 
kindness  manifested  by  the  sergeant,  there  probably  was 
not  another  man  of  his  rank  in  the  whole  party  who  would 
have  discovered  equal  benevolence  to  the  prisoner,  or 
who  would  not  have  imitated  the  veteran  in  rejecting  the. 
bribe,  although  probably  from  a  less  worthy  motive. 
There  was  something  of  disappointed  vengeance  in  the 
feelings  of  the  man  who  watched  the  door  of  the  room  on 
finding  his  prisoner  enjoying  a  sleep  of  which  he  himself 
was  deprived,  and  at  his  exhibiting  such  obvious  indiffer 
ence  to  the  utmost  penalty  that  military  rigor  could 
inflict  on  all  his  treason  to  the  cause  of  liberty  and 
America.  More  than  once  he  felt  prompted  to  disturb 
the  repose  of  the  peddler  by  taunts  and  revilings;  but 
the  discipline  he  was  under,  and  a  secret  sense  of  shame 
at  the  brutality  of  the  act,  held  him  in  subjection. 

His  meditations  were,  however,  soon  interrupted  by 
the  appearance  of  the  washerwoman,  who  came  stag 
gering  through  the  door  that  communicated  with  the 
kitchen,  muttering  execrations  against  the  servants  of  the 
officers,  who,  by  their  waggery,  had  disturbed  her  slum 
bers  before  the  fire.  The  sentinel  understood  enough  of 
her  maledictions  to  comprehend  the  case;  but  all  his 
efforts  to  enter  into  conversation  with  the  enraged  woman 
were  useless,  and  he  suffered  her  to  enter  her  room  with 
out  explaining  that  it  contained  another  inmate.  The 
noise  of  her  huge  frame  falling  on  the  bed  was  succeeded 
by  a  silence  that  was  soon  interrupted  by  the  renewed 
respiration  of  the  peddler,  and  within  a  few  minutes 
Harvey  continued  to  breathe  aloud,  as  if  no  interruption 
had  occurred.  The  relief  arrived  at  this  moment.  The 
sentinel,  who  felt  nettled  at  the  contempt  of  the  peddler, 
after  communicating  his  orders,  while  he  was  retiring, 
exclaimed  to  his  successor: 

"You  may  keep  yourself  warm  by  dancing,  John;  the 
peddler  spy  has  tuned  his  fiddle,  you  hear,  and  it  will  not 
be  long  before  Betty  will  strike  up,  in  her  turn." 

The  joke  was  followed  by  a  general  laugh  from  the 
party,  who  marched  on  in  performance  of  their  duty.  At 
this  instant  the  door  of  the  prison  was  opened,  and  Betty 


THE  SPY  211 

reappeared,  staggering  back  again  towards  her  former 
quarters. 

"Stop,"  said  the  sentinel,  catching  her  by  her  clothes; 
"are  you  sure  the  spy  is  not  in  your  pocket?" 

"Can't  you  hear  the  rascal  snoring  in  my  room,  you 
dirty  blackguard?"  sputtered  Betty,  her  whole  frame 
shaking  with  rage;  "and  is  it  so  ye  would  sarve  a  dacent 
famale,  that  a  man  must  be  put  to  sleep  in  the  room  wid 
her,  ye  rapscallion?" 

"Pooh!  do  you  mind  a  fellow  who's  to  be  hanged  in  the 
morning?  You  see  he  sleeps  already;  to-morrow  he'll 
take  a  longer  nap." 

"Hands  off,  ye  villain!"  cried  the  washerwoman, 
relinquishing  a  small  bottle  that  the  trooper  had  suc 
ceeded  in  wresting  from  her.  "But  I'll  go  to  Captain 
Jack,  and  know  if  it's  orders  to  put  a  hang-gallows  spy 
in  my  room;  aye,  even  in  my  widowed  bed,  you  thief!" 

"Silence,  old  Jezebel!"  said  the  fellow  with  a  laugh, 
taking  the  bottle  from  his  mouth  to  breathe,  "or  you  will 
wake  the  gentleman — would  you  disturb  a  man  in  his  last 
sleep?" 

"I'll  awake  Captain  Jack,  you  reprobate  villain,  and 
bring  him  here  to  see  me  righted:  he  will  punish  ye  all 
for  imposing  on  a  dacent  widowed  body,  you  marauder!" 

With  these  words,  which  only  extorted  a  laugh  from 
the  sentinel,  Betty  staggered  round  the  end  of  the  build 
ing,  and  made  the  best  of  her  way  towards  the  quarters 
of  her  favorite,  Captain  John  Lawton,  in  search  of 
redress.  Neither  the  officer  nor  the  woman,  however, 
appeared  during  the  night,  and  nothing  further  occurred 
to  disturb  the  repose  of  the  peddler,  who,  to  the  aston 
ishment  of  the  different  sentinels,  continued  by  his 
breathing  to  manifest  how  little  the  gallows  could  affect 
his  slumbers. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

"  A  Daniel  come  to  judgment !  yea,  a  Daniel ! 
O  wise  young  judge,  how  I  do  honor  thee  I" 

— MERCHANT  OF  VENICE. 

THE  Skinners  followed  Captain  Lawton  with  alacrity 
towards  the  quarters  occupied  by  the  troop  of  that  gen 
tleman.  The  captain  of  dragoons  had  on  all  occasions 
manifested  so  much  zeal  for  the  cause  in  which  he  was 
engaged,  was  so  regardless  of  personal  danger  when  op 
posed  to  the  enemy,  and  his  stature  and  stern  countenance 
contributed  so  much  to  render  him  terrific,  that  these 
qualities  had,  in  some  measure,  procured  him  a  reputa 
tion  distinct  from  the  corps  in  which  he  served.  His 
intrepidity  was  mistaken  for  ferocity;  and  his  hasty  zeal, 
for  the  natural  love  of  cruelty.  On  the  other  hand,  a 
few  acts  of  clemency,  or  more  properly  speaking,  of  dis 
criminating  justice,  had,  with  one  portion  of  the  com 
munity,  acquired  for  Dunwoodie  the  character  of  undue 
forbearance.  It  is  seldom  that  either  popular  condemna 
tion  or  popular  applause  falls,  exactly  in  the  quantities 
earned,  where  it  is  merited. 

While  in  the  presence  of  the  major,  the  leader  of  the 
gang  had  felt  himself  under  that  restraint  which  vice 
must  ever  experience  in  the  company  of  acknowledged 
virtue;  but  having  left  the  house,  he  at  once  conceived 
that  he  was  under  the  protection  of  a  congenial  spirit. 
There  was  a  gravity  in  the  manner  of  Lawton,  that 
deceived  most  of  those  who  did  not  know  him  intimately; 
and  it  was  a  common  saying  in  his  troop,  that  "when  the 
captain  laughed,  he  was  sure  to  punish." 

Drawing  near  his  conductor  therefore,  the  leader  com 
menced  a  confidential  dialogue. 

"  'Tis  always  well  for  a  man  to  know  his  friends  from 
his  enemies,"  said  the  half-licensed  freebooter. 

212 


THE  SPY  213 

To  this    prefatory  observation  the  captain   made   no 
other  reply  than  a  sound  which  the  other  interpreted  into 


w'<l-SUP?°S?MMajor  Dunwo°die  has  the  good  opinion  of 
Washington?"  continued  the  Skinner,  in  a  tone  that 
rather  expressed  a  doubt  than  asked  a  question. 

There  are  some  who  think  so." 

"Many  of  the  friends  of  Congress  in  this  county  the 
man  proceeded,  "wish  the  horse  was  led  by  some  other 
officer;  for  my  part,  if  I  could  only  be  covered  by  a  troop 
now  and  then,  I  could  do  many  an  important  piece  of 
service  to  the  cause,  to  which  this  capture  of  the  peddler 
would  be  a  trifle." 

"Indeed!  such  as  what?" 

"For  the  matter  of  that,  it  could  be  made  as  profitable 
to  the  officer  as  it  would  be  to  us  who  did  it,"  said  the 
Skinner,  with  a  look  of  the  most  significant  meaning. 

"But  how?"  asked  Lawton,  a  little  impatiently,  and 
quickening  his  step  to  get  out  of  the  hearing  of  the  rest 
of  the  party. 

"Why,  near  the  royal  lines,  even  under  the  very  guns 
of  the  heights,  might  be  good  picking  if  we  had  a  force 
to  guard  us  from  De  Lancey's  1  men,  and  to  cover  our 
retreat  from  being  cut  off  by  the  way  of  King's  Bridge." 
"I  thought  the  Refugees  took  all  that  game  to  them 
selves.  ' ' 

"They  do  a  little  at  it;  but  they  are  obliged  to  be  spar 
ing  among  their  own  people.  I  have  been  down  twice, 
under  an  agreement  with  them:  the  first  time  they  acted 
with  honor;  but  the  second  they  came  upon  us  and  drove 
us  off,  and  took  the  plunder  to  themselves. ' ' 


lfThe  partisan  corps  called  Cow-Boys  in  the  parlance  of  the  country,  was 
commanded  by  a  Colonel  De  Lancey.  This  gentleman,  for  such  he  was  by  birth 
and  education,  rendered  himself  very  odious  to  the  Americans  by  his  fancied 
cruelty,  though  there  is  no  evidence  of  his  being  guilty  of  any  acts  unusual  in 
this  species  of  warfare. 

Colonel  De  Lancey  belonged  to  a  family  of  the  highest  consequence  in  the 
American  colonies,  his  uncle  having  died  in  the  administration  of  the  govern 
ment  of  that  of  New  York.  He  should  not  be  confounded  with  other  gentle 
men  of  his  name  and  family,  many  of  whom  served  in  the  royal  army.  His 
cousin,  Colonel  Oliver  De  Lancey,  was,  at  the  time  of  our  tale,  adjutant-general 
of  the  British  forces  in  America,  having  succeeded  to  the  unfortunate  AndH5. 
The  Cow-Boys  were  sometimes  called  Refugees,  in  consequence  of  their  having 
taken  refuge  under  the  protection  of  the  crown. 


214  THE   SPY 

"That  was  a  very  dishonorable  act,  indeed;  I  wonder 
that  an  honorable  man  will  associate  with  such  rascals." 

"It  is  necessary  to  have  an  understanding  with  some 
of  them,  or  we  might  be  taken;  but  a  man  without  honor 
is  worse  than  a  brute.  Do  you  think  Major  Dunwoodie 
is  to  be  trusted?" 

"You  mean  on  honorable  principles?" 

"Certainly;  you  know  Arnold  was  thought  well  of  until 
the  royal  major  was  taken." 

"Why,  I  do  not  believe  Dunwoodie  would  sell  his  com 
mand  as  Arnold  wished  to  do;  neither  do  I  think  him 
exactly  trustworthy  in  a  delicate  business  like  this  of 
yours. ' ' 

"That's  just  my  notion,"  rejoined  the  Skinner,  with  a 
self-approving  manner  that  showed  how  much  he  was 
satisfied  with  his  own  estimate  of  character. 

By  this  time  they  had  arrived  at  a  better  sort  of  farm 
house,  the  very  extensive  out-buildings  of  which  were  in 
tolerable  repair,  for  the  times.  The  barns  were  occupied 
by  the  men  of  the  troop,  while  the  horses  were  arranged 
under  the  long  sheds  which  protected  the  yard  from  the 
cold  north  wind.  The  latter  were  quietly  eating,  with 
saddles  on  their  backs  and  bridles  thrown  on  their  necks, 
ready  to  be  bitted  and  mounted  at  the  shortest  warning. 
Lawton  excused  himself  for  a  moment,  and  entered  his 
quarters.  He  soon  returned,  holding  in  his  hand  one  of 
the  common  stable-lanterns,  and  led  the  way  towards  a 
large  orchard  that  surrounded  the  buildings  on  three 
sides.  The  gang  followed  the  trooper  in  silence,  believ 
ing  his  object  to  be  facility  of  communicating  further  on 
this  interesting  topic,  without  the  danger  of  being  over 
heard. 

Approaching  the  captain,  the  Skinner  renewed  the  dis 
course,  with  a  view  of  establishing  further  confidence, 
and  of  giving  his  companion  a  more  favorable  opinion  of 
his  own  intellects. 

"Do  you  think  the  colonies  will  finally  get  the  better 
of  the  king?"  he  inquired,  with  a  little  of  the  impor 
tance  of  a  politician. 

"Get  the  better!"  echoed  the  captain  with  impetuosity 
— then  checking  himself,  he  continued,  "no  doubt  they 


THE  SPY  215 

will.     If  the  French  will  give  us  arms  and  money,  we 
can^  drive  out  the  royal  troops  in  six  months." 

"Well,  so  I  hope  we  shall  soon;  and  then  we  shall  have 
a  free  government,  and  we,  who  fight  for  it,  will  get  our 
reward." 

"Oh!"  cried  Lawton,  "your  claims  will  be  indisputa 
ble;  while  all  these  vile  Tories  who  live  at  home  peace 
ably,  to  take  care  of  their  farms,  will  be  held  in  the 
contempt  they  merit.  You  have  no  farm,  I  suppose?" 

"Not  yet— but  it  will  go  hard  if  I  do  not  find  one  before 
the  peace  is  made." 

"Right;  study  your  own  interests,  and  you  study  the 
interests  of  your  country;  press  the  point  of  your  own 
services,  and  rail  at  the  Tories,  and  I'll  bet  my  spurs 
against  a  rusty  nail  that  you  get  to  be  a  county  clerk  at 
least." 

"Don't  you  think  Paulding's1  party  were  fools  in  not 
letting  the  royal  adjutant-general  escape?"  said  the  man, 
thrown  off  his  guard  by  the  freedom  of  the  captain's 
manner. 

"Fools!"  cried  Lawton,  with  a  bitter  laugh;  "aye, 
fools  indeed;  King  George  would  have  paid  them  better, 
for  he  is  richer.  He  would  have  made  them  gentlemen 
for  their  lives?  But,  thank  God!  there  is  a  pervading 
spirit  in  the  people  that  seems  miraculous.  Men  who 
have  nothing,  act  as  if  the  wealth  of  the  Indies  depended 
on  their  fidelity;  all  are  not  villains  like  yourself,  or  we 
should  have  been  slaves  to  England  years  ago." 

"How!"  exclaimed  the  Skinner,  starting  back,  and 
dropping  his  musket  to  the  level  of  the  other's  breast; 
"am  I  betrayed,  and  are  you  my  enemy?" 

"Miscreant!"  shouted  Lawton,  his  sabre  ringing  in 
its  steel  scabbard,  as  he  struck  the  musket  of  the  fellow 
from  his  hands,  "offer  but  again  to  point  your  gun  at  me 
and  I'll  cleave  you  to  the  middle." 

"And  you  will  not  pay  us,  then,  Captain  Lawton?" 

1  The  author  must  have  intended  some  allusion  to  an  individual,  which  is 
too  local  to  be  understood  by  the  general  reader. 

Andr£,  as  is  well  known,  was  arrested  by  three  countrymen,  who  were 
the  lookout  for  predatory  parties  of  the  enemy:  the  principal  man  of  this  party 
was  named  Paulding.    The  disinterested  manner  in  which  they  refused  the  of 
of  their  captive  is  matter  of  history. 


216  THE   SPY 

said  the  Skinner,  trembling  in  every  joint,  for  just  then 
he  saw  a  party  of  mounted  dragoons  silently  encircling 
the  whole  party. 

"Oh!  pay  you — yes,  you  shall  have  the  full  measure  of 
your  reward.  There  is  the  money  that  Colonel  Singleton 
sent  down  for  the  captors  of  the  spy, ' '  throwing  a  bag  of 
guineas  with  disdain  at  the  other's  feet.  "But  ground 
your  arms,  you  rascals,  and  see  that  the  money  is  truly 
told." 

The  intimidated  band  did  as  they  were  ordered;  and 
while  they  were  eagerly  employed  in  this  pleasing  avoca 
tion,  a  few  of  Lawton's  men  privately  knocked  the  flints 
out  of  their  muskets. 

"Well,"  cried  the  impatient  captain,  "is  it  right? — 
have  you  the  promised  reward?" 

"There  is  just  the  money,"  said  the  leader;  "and  we 
will  now  go  to  our  homes,  with  your  permission." 

"Hold!  so  much  to  redeem  our  promise — now  for  jus 
tice;  we  pay  you  for  taking  a  spy,  but  we  punish  you  for 
burning,  robbing,  and  murdering.  Seize  them,  my  lads, 
and  give  each  of  them  the  law  of  Moses — forty  save 
one." 

This  command  was  given  to  no  unwilling  listeners;  and 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  the  Skinners  were  stripped 
and  fastened,  by  the  halters  of  the  party,  to  as  many  of 
the  apple-trees  as  were  necessary  to  furnish  one  to  each 
of  the  gang.  Swords  were  quickly  drawn,  and  fifty 
branches  were  cut  from  the  trees,  like  magic:  from  these 
were  selected  a  few  of  the  most  supple  of  the  twigs,  and 
a  willing  dragoon  was  soon  found  to  wield  each  of  the 
weapons.  Captain  Lawton  gave  the  word,  humanely  cau 
tioning  his  men  not  to  exceed  the  discipline  prescribed  by 
the  Mosaic  law,  and  the  uproar  of  Babel  commenced  in 
the  orchard.  The  cries  of  the  leader  were  easily  to  be 
distinguished  above  those  of  his  men;  a  circumstance 
which  might  be  accounted  for  by  Captain  Lawton's 
reminding  his  corrector  that  he  had  to  deal  with  an 
officer,  and  he  should  remember  and  pay  him  unusual 
honor.  The  flagellation  was  executed  with  great  neat 
ness  and  despatch,  and  it  was  distinguished  by  no  irregu 
larity,  excepting  that  none  of  the  disciplinarians  began  to 


THE  SPY  217 

count  until  they  had  tried  their  whips  by  a  dozen  or  more 
blows,  by  the  way,  as  they  said  themselves,  of  finding  out 
the  proper  places  to  strike.  As  soon  as  this  summary 
operation  was  satisfactorily  completed,  Lawton  directed 
his  men  to  leave  the  Skinners  to  replace  their  own 
clothes,  and  to  mount  their  horses;  for  they  were  a  party 
who  had  been  detached  for  the  purpose  of  patrol  ling- 
lower  down  in  the  county. 

"You  see,  my  friend,"  said  the  captain  to  the  leader 
of  the  Skinners,  after  he  had  prepared  himself  to  depart, 
"I  can  cover  you  to  some  purpose,  when  necessary.  If 
we  meet  often,  you  will  be  covered  with  scars,  which,  if 
not  very  honorable,  will  at  least  be  merited." 

The  fellow  made  no  reply.  He  was  busy  with  his  mus 
ket,  and  hastening  his  comrades  to  march;  when  every 
thing  being  ready,  they  proceeded,  sullenly  towards  some 
rocks  at  no  great  distance,  which  were  overhung  by  a 
deep  wood.  The  moon  was  just  rising,  and  the  group  ot 
dragoons  could  easily  be  distinguished  where  they  had 
been  left.  Suddenly  turning,  the  whole  gang  levelled 
their  pieces  and  drew  the  triggers.  The  action  was  no 
ticed,  and  the  snapping  of  the  locks  was  heard  by  the 
soldiers,  who  returned  their  futile  attempt  with  a  laugh 
of  derision,  the  captain  crying  aloud: 

"Ah,  rascals,  I  knew  you,  and  have  taken  away  your 
flints." 

"You  should  have  taken  away  that  in  my  pouch,  too," 
shouted  the  leader,  firing  his  gun  in  the  next  instant. 
The  bullet  grazed  the  ear  of  Lawton,  who  laughed  as  he 
shook  his  head,  saying,  "A  miss  was  as  good  as  a  mile.' 
One  of  the  dragoons  had  seen  the  preparations  of   the 
Skinner— who  had  been  left  alone  by  the  rest  of  his  gang, 
as   soon   as   they   had   made  their  abortive  attempt  at 
revenge— and  was  in  the  act  of  plunging  his  spurs  into 
his  horse  as  the  fellow  fired.     The  distance  to  the  rock 
was  but  small,  yet  the  speed  of  the  horse  compelled  the 
leader  to  abandon  both  money  and  musket,  to  effect 
escape      The  soldier  returned  with  his  prizes,  and  off< 
them   to   the   acceptance   of    his   captain;    but   Lawto 
rejected  them,  telling  the  man  to  retain  them  h       B, 
until  the  rascal  appeared  in  person  to  claim  his  propei 


218  THE   SPY 

It  would  have  been  a  business  of  no  small  difficulty  for 
any  tribunal  then  existing  in  the  new  states  to  have 
enforced  a  restitution  of  the  money;  for  it  was  shortly 
aftermost  equitably  distributed,  by  the  hands  of  Sergeant 
Hollister,  among  a  troop  of  horse.  The  patrol  departed, 
and  the  captain  slowly  returned  to  his  quarters,  with  an 
intention  of  retiring  to  rest.  A  figure  moving  rapidly 
among  the  trees,  in  the  direction  of  the  wood  whither 
the  Skinners  had  retired,  caught  his  eye,  and,  wheeling 
on  his  heel,  the  cautious  partisan  approached  it,  and,  to 
his  astonishment,  saw  the  washerwoman  at  that  hour  of 
the  night,  and  in  such  a  place. 

"What,  Betty!  walking  in  your  sleep,  or  dreaming 
while  awake?"  cried  the  trooper;  "are  you  not  afraid  of 
meeting  with  the  ghost  of  ancient  Jenny  in  this  her 
favorite  pasture?" 

"Ah,  sure,  Captain  Jack,"  returned  the  sutler  in  her 
native  accent,  and  reeling  in  a  manner  that  made  it  diffi 
cult  for  her  to  raise  her  head,  "it's  not  Jenny,  or  her 
ghost,  that  I'm  saaking,  but  some  yarbs  for  the  wounded. 
And  it's  the  vartue  of  the  rising  moon,  as  it  jist  touches 
them,  that  I  want.  They  grow  under  yon  rocks,  and  I 
must  hasten,  or  the  charm  will  lose  its  power." 

"Fool,  you  are  fitter  for  your  pallet  than  for  wander 
ing  among  those  rocks:  a  fall  from  one  of  them  would 
break  your  bones;  besides,  the  Skinners  have  fled  to  those 
heights,  and  should  you  fall  in  with  them,  they  would 
revenge  on  you  a  sound  flogging  they  have  just  received 
from  me.  Better  return,  old  woman,  and  finish  your 
nap;  we  march  in  the  morning." 

Betty  disregarded  his  advice,  and  continued  her  de 
vious  route  to  the  hillside.  For  an  instant,  as  Lawton 
mentioned  the  Skinners,  she  had  paused,  but  immediately 
resuming  her  course,  she  was  soon  out  of  sight,  among 
the  trees. 

As  the  captain  entered  his  quarters,  the  sentinel  at  the 
door  inquired  if  he  had  met  Mrs.  Flanagan,  and  added 
that  she  had  passed  there,  filling  the  air  with  threats 
against  her  tormentors  at  the  "Hotel,"  and  inquiring  for 
the  captain  in  search  of  redress.  Lawton  heard  the  man 
in  astonishment — appeared  struck  with  a  new  idea — 


THE  SPY  219 

walked  several  yards  towards  the  orchard,  and  returned 
again;  for  several  minutes  he  paced  rapidly  to  and  fro 
before  the  door  of  the  house,  and  then  hastily  entering  it, 
he  threw  himself  on  the  bed  in  his  clothes,  and  was  soon 
in  a  profound  sleep. 

In  the  meantime,  the  gang  of  marauders  had  success 
fully  gained  the  summit  of  the  rocks,  and,  scattering  in 
every  direction,  they  buried  themselves  in  the  depths  of 
the  wood.  Finding,  however,  there  was  no  pursuit, 
which  indeed  would  have  been  impracticable  for  horse, 
the  leader  ventured  to  call  his  band  together  with  a  whis 
tle,  and  in  a  short  time  he  succeeded  in  collecting  his 
discomfited  party,  at  a  point  where  they  had  but  little  to 
apprehend  from  any  enemy. 

"Well,"  said  one  of  the  fellows,  while  a  fire  was  light 
ing  to  protect  them  against  the  air,  which  was  becoming 
severely  cold,  "there  is  an  end  to  our  business  in  West- 
Chester.  The  Virginia  horse  will  soon  make  the  county 
too  hot  to  hold  us." 

"I'll  have  his  blood,"  muttered  the  leader,  "if  I  die 
for  it  the  next  instant." 

"Oh,  you  are  very  valiant  here,  in  the  wood,"  cried 
the  other,  with  a  savage  laugh;  "why  did  you,  who  boast 
so  much  of  your  aim,  miss  your  man,  at  thirty  yards?" 

"'Twas  the  horseman  that  disturbed  me,  or  I  would 
have  ended  this  Captain  Lawton  on  the  spot;  besides,  the 
cold  had  set  me  a-shivering,  and  I  had  no  longer  a  steady 
hand." 

"Say  it  was  fear,  and  you  will  tell  no  lie,"  said  his 
comrade  with  a  sneer.  "For  my  part,  I  think  I  shall 
never  be  cold  again;  my  back  burns  as  if  a  thousand  grid 
irons  were  laid  on  it." 

"And  you  would  tamely  submit  to  such  usage,  and  kiss 
the  rod  that  beat  you?" 

"As  for  kissing  the  rod,  it  would  be  no  easy  matter. 
Mine  was  broken  into  so  small  pieces,  on  my  own  shoul 
ders,  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  one  big  enough  to 
kiss;  but  I  would  rather  submit  to  lose  half  my  skin,  than 
to  lose  the  whole  of  it,  with  my  ears  in  the  bargain. 
And  such  will  be  our  fates  if  we  tempt  this  mad  Virgir 
ian  again.  God  willing,  I  would  at  any  time  give  him 


220  THE   SPY 

enough  of  my  hide  to  make  a  pair  of  jack-boots,  to  get 
out  of  his  hands  with  the  remainder.  If  you  had  known 
when  you  were  well  off,  you  would  have  stuck  to  Major 
Dunwoodie,  who  don't  know  half  so  much  of  our  evil- 
doings." 

"Silence,  you  talking  fool!"  shouted  the  enraged  lead 
er;  ''your  prating  is  sufficient  to  drive  a  man  mad;  is  it 
not  enough  to  be  robbed  and  beaten,  but  we  must  be  tor 
mented  with  your  folly? — help  to  get  out  the  provisions, 
if  any  is  left  in  the  wallet,  and  try  and  stop  your  mouth 
with  food." 

This  injunction  was  o*beyed,  and  the  whole  party, 
amidst  sundry  groans  and  contortions,  excited  by  the 
disordered  state  of  their  backs,  made  their  arrangements 
for  a  scanty  meal.  A  large  fire  of  dry  wood  was  burning 
in  the  cleft  of  the  rock,  and  at  length  they  began  to 
recover  from  the  confusion  of  their  flight,  and  to  collect 
their  scattered  senses.  Their  hunger  being  appeased, 
and  many  of  their  garments  thrown  aside  for  the  better 
opportunity  of  dressing  their  wounds,  the  gang  began  to 
plot  measures  of  revenge.  An  hour  was  spent  in  this 
manner,  and  various  expedients  were  proposed;  but  as 
they  all  depended  on  personal  prowess  for  their  success, 
and  were  attended  by  great  danger,  they  were  of  course 
rejected.  There  was  no  possibility  of  approaching  the 
troops  by  surprise,  their  vigilance  being  ever  on  the 
watch;  and  the  hope  of  meeting  Captain  Lawton,  away 
from  his  men,  was  equally  forlorn,  for  the  trooper  wras 
constantly  engaged  in  his  duty,  and  his  movements  were 
so  rapid,  that  any  opportunity  of  meeting  with  him,  at 
all,  must  depend  greatly  on  accident.  Besides,  it  was 
by  no  means  certain  that  such  an  interview  would  result 
happily  for  themselves.  The  cunning  of  the  trooper  was 
notorious;  and  rough  and  broken  as  was  West-Chester, 
the  fearless  partisan  was  known  to  take  some  desperate 
leaps,  and  stone  walls  were  but  slight  impediments  to  the 
chargers  of  the  Southern  Horse.  Gradually,  the  con 
versation  took  another  direction,  until  the  gang  deter 
mined  on  a  plan  which  should  both  revenge  themselves, 
and  at  the  same  time  offer  some  additional  stimulus  to 
their  exertions.  The  whole  business  was  accurately  dis- 


THE  SPY  221 

cussed,  the  time  fixed,  and  the  manner  adopted;  in  short 
nothing  was  wanting  to  the  previous  arrangement  for 
this  deed  of  villainy,  when  they  were  aroused  by  a  voice 
calling  aloud : 

"This  way,  Captain  Jack — here  are  the  rascals  'ating 
by  a  fire — this  way,  and  murder  the  t'ieves  where  they 
sit — quick,  Tave  your  horses  and  shoot  your  pistols!" 

This  terrific  summons  was  enough  to  disturb  all  the 
philosophy  of  the  gang.  Springing  on  their  feet,  they 
rushed  deeper  into  the  wood,  and  having  already  agreed 
upon  a  place  of  rendezvous  previously  to  their  intended 
expedition,  they  dispersed  towards  the  four  quarters  of 
the  heavens.  Certain  sounds  and  different  voices  were 
heard  calling  on  each  other,  but  as  the  marauders  were 
well  trained  to  speed  of  foot,  they  were  soon  lost  in  the 
distance. 

It  was  not  long  before  Betty  Flanagan  emerged  from 
the  darkness,  and  very  coolly  took  possession  of  what  the 
Skinners  had  left  behind  them;  namely,  food,  and  divers 
articles  of  dress.  The  washerwoman  deliberately  seated 
herself,  and  made  a  meal  with  great  apparent  satisfac 
tion.  For  an  hour,  she  sat  with  her  head  upon  her  hand, 
in  deep  musing;  then  she  gathered  together  such  articles 
of  the  clothes  as  seemed  to  suit  her  fancy,  and  retired 
into  the  wood,  leaving  the  fire  to  throw  its  glimmering 
light  on  the  adjacent  rocks,  until  its  last  brand  died 
away,  and  the  place  was  abandoned  to  solitude  and  dark 
ness. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

"No  longer  then  perplex  the  breast — 
When  thoughts  torment,  the  first  are  best; 
'Tis  mad  to  go,  'tis  death  to  stay! 
Away,  to  Orra,  haste  away." 

-LAPLAND  LOVE  SONG. 

| 

WHILE  his  comrades  were  sleeping,  in  perfect  forget- 
f ulness  of  their  hardships  and  dangers,  the  slumbers  of 
Dunwoodie  were  broken  and  unquiet.  After  spending  a 
night  of  restlessness,  he  arose,  unrefreshed,  from  the 
rude  bed  where  he  had  thrown  himself  in  his  clothes, 
and,  without  awaking  any  of  the  group  around  him,  he 
wandered  into  the  open  air  in  search  of  relief.  The  soft 
rays  of  the  moon  were  just  passing  away  in  the  more  dis 
tinct  light  of  the  morning;  the  wind  had  fallen,  and  the 
rising  mists  gave  the  promise  of  another  of  those 
autumnal  days,  which,  in  this  unstable  climate,  succeed 
a  tempest  with  the  rapid  transitions  of  magic.  The 
hour  had  not  yet  arrived  when  he  intended  moving  from 
his  present  position;  and,  willing  to  allow  his  warriors 
all  the  refreshment  that  circumstances  would  permit,  he 
strolled  towards  the  scene  of  the  Skinner's  punishment, 
musing  upon  the  embarrassments  of  his  situation,  and 
uncertain  how  he  should  reconcile  his  sense  of  duty  with 
his  love.  Although  Dunwoodie  himself  placed  the  most 
implicit  reliance  on  the  captain's  purity  of  intention,  he 
was  by  no  means  assured  that  a  board  of  officers  would 
be  equally  credulous;  and  independently  of  all  feelings  of 
private  regard,  he  felt  certain  that  with  the  execution  of 
Henry  would  be  destroyed  all  hopes  of  a  union  with  his 
sister.  He  had  despatched  an  officer,  the  preceding  even 
ing,  to  Colonel  Singleton,  who  was  in  command  of  the 
advance  posts,  reporting  the  capture  of  the  British  cap 
tain,  and,  after  giving  his  own  opinion  of  his  innocence, 
requesting  orders  as  to  the  manner  in  which  he  was  to 

222 


THE   SPY  223 

dispose  of  his  prisoner.  These  orders  might  be  expected 
every  hour,  and  his  uneasiness  increased  in  proportion  as 
the  moment  approached  when  his  friend  might  be  removed 
from  his  protection.  In  this  disturbed  state  of  mind, 
the  major  wandered  through  the  orchard,  and  was  stopped 
in  his  walk  by  arriving  at  the  base  of  those  rocks  which 
had  protected  the  Skinners  in  their  flight,  before  he  was 
conscious  whither  his  steps  had  carried  him.  He  was 
about  to  turn,  and  retrace  his  path  to  his  quarters,  when 
he  was  startled  by  a  voice,  bidding  him : 

"Stand  or  die!" 

Dunwoodie  turned  in  amazement,  and  beheld  the  figure 
of  a  man  placed  at  a  little  distance  above  him  on  a  shelv 
ing  rock,  with  a  musket  levelled  at  himself.  The  light 
was  not  yet  sufficiently  powerful  to  reach  the  recesses  of 
that  gloomy  spot,  and  a  second  look  was  necessary  before 
he  discovered,  to  his  astonishment,  that  the  peddler  stood 
before  him.  Comprehending,  in  an  instant,  the  danger 
of  his  situation,  and  disdaining  to  implore  mercy  or  to 
retreat,  had  the  latter  been  possible,  the  youth  cried 
firmly: 

"If  I  am  to  be  murdered,  fire!  I  will  never  become 
your  prisoner. ' ' 

"No,  Major  Dunwoodie,"  said  Birch,  lowering  his 
musket,  "it  is  neither  my  intention  to  capture  nor  to 
slay." 

"What  then  would  you  have,  mysterious  being?"  said 
Dunwoodie,  hardly  able  to  persuade  himself  that  the 
form  he  saw  was  not  a  creature  of  the  imagination. 

"Your  good  opinion,"  answered  the  peddler,  with  emo 
tion;  "I  would  wish  all  good  men  to  judge  me  with 
lenity. ' ' 

"To  you  it  must  be  indifferent  what  may  be  the  judg 
ment  of  men;  for  you  seem  to  be  beyond  the  reach  of 
their  sentence." 

"God  spares  the  lives  of  His  servants  to  His  own 
time,"  said  the  peddler,  solemnly:  "a  few  hours  ago  I 
was  your  prisoner,  and  threatened  with  the  gallows;  now 
you  are  mine;  but,  Major  Dunwoodie,  you  are  free. 
There  are  men  abroad  who  would  treat  you  less  kindly. 
Of  what  service  would  that  sword  be  to  you  against  my 


224  THE   SPY 

weapon  and  a  steady  hand?  Take  the  advice  of  one  who 
has  never  harmed  you,  and  who  never  will.  Do  not  trust 
yourself  in  the  skirts  of  any  wood,  unless  in  company  and 
mounted." 

"And  have  you  comrades,  who  have  assisted  you  to 
escape,  and  who  are  less  generous  than  yourself?" 

"No — no,  I  am  alone  truly — none  know  me  but  my  God 
and  him." 

"And  who?"  asked  the  major,  with  an  interest  he 
could  not  control. 

"None,"  continued  the  peddler,  recovering  his  com 
posure.  "But  such  is  not  your  case,  Major  Dunwoodie; 
you  are  young  and  happy;  there  are  those  that  are  dear 
to  you,  and  such  are  not  far  away — danger  is  near  them 
you  love  most — danger  within  and  without — double  your 
watchfulness— strengthen  your  patrols — and  be  silent. 
With  your  opinion  of  me,  should  I  tell  you  more,  you 
would  suspect  an  ambush.  But  remember  and  guard 
them  you  love  best." 

The  peddler  discharged  the  musket  in  the  air,  and 
threw  it  at  the  feet  of  his  astonished  auditor.  When 
surprise  and  the  smoke  allowed  Dunwoodie  to  look  again 
on  the  rock  where  he  had  stood,  the  spot  was  vacant. 

The  youth  was  aroused  from  the  stupor,  which  had 
been  created  by  this  strange  scene,  by  the  trampling  of 
horses,  and  the  sound  of  the  bugles.  A  patrol  was  drawn 
to  the  spot  by  the  report  of  the  musket,  and  the  alarm 
had  been  given  to  the  corps.  Without  entering  into  any 
explanation  with  his  men,  the  major  returned  quickly  to 
his  quarters,  where  he  found  the  whole  squadron  under 
arms,  in  battle  array,  impatiently  awaiting  the  appear 
ance  of  their  leader.  The  officer  whose  duty  it  was  to 
superintend  such  matters,  had  directed  a  party  to  lower 
the  sign  of  the  Hotel  Flanagan,  and  the  post  was  already 
arranged  for  the  execution  of  the  spy.  On  hearing  from 
the  major  that  the  musket  was  discharged  by  himself, 
and  was  probably  one  of  those  dropped  by  the  Skinners 
(for  by  this  time  Dunwoodie  had  learnt  the  punishment 
inflicted  by  Lawton,  but  chose  to  conceal  his  own  inter 
view  with  Birch),  his  officers  suggested  the  propriety  of 
executing  their  prisoner  before  they  marched.  Unable 


THE  SPY  225 

to  believe  that  all  he  had  seen  was  not  a  dream,  Dun- 
woodie,  followed  by  many  of  his  officers,  and  preceded  by 
Sergeant  Hoi  lister,  went  to  the  place  which  was  supposed 
to  contain  the  peddler. 

"Well,  sir,"  said  the  major  to  the  sentinel  who 
guarded  the  door,  "i  trust  you  have  your  prisoner  in 
safety." 

"He  is  yet  asleep,"  replied  the  man,  "and  he  makes 
such  a  noise,  I  could  hardly  hear  the  bugles  sound  the 
alarm." 

"Open  the  door  and  bring  him  forth." 

The  order  was  obeyed;  but,  to  the  utter  amazement  of 
the  honest  veteran  who  entered  the  prison,  he  found  the 
room  in  no  little  disorder — the  coat  of  the  peddler  where 
his  body  ought  to  have  been,  and  part  of  the  wardrobe  of 
Betty  scattered  in  disorder  on  the  floor.  The  washer 
woman  herself  occupied  the  pallet,  in  profound  mental 
oblivion,  clad  as  when  last  seen,  excepting  a  little  black 
bonnet,  which  she  so  constantly  wore,  that  it  was  com 
monly  thought  she  made  it  perform  the  double  duty  of 
both  day  and  night  cap.  The  noise  of  their  entrance, 
and  the  exclamations  of  the  party,  awoke  the  woman. 

"Is  it  the  breakfast  that's  wanting?"  said  Betty,  rub 
bing  her  eyes;  "faith,  ye  look  as  if  ye  would  ate  myself 
— but  patience  a  little,  darlings,  and  ye'll  see  sich  a  fry 
as  never  was. ' ' 

"Fry!"  echoed  the  sergeant,  forgetful  of  his  religious 
philosophy,  and  the  presence  of  his  officers;  "we'll  have 
you  roasted,  Jezebel! — you've  helped  that  damned  peddler 
to  escape. ' ' 

"Jezebel  back  ag'in  in  your  own  teeth,  and  damned 
piddler  too,  Mister  Sargeant!"  cried  Betty,  who  was 
easily  roused;  "what  have  I  to  do  with  piddlers,  or 
escapes?  I  might  have  been  a  piddler's  lady,  and  worn 
my  silks,  if  I'd  had  Sawny  M'Twill,  instead  of  tagging 
at  the  heels  of  a  parcel  of  dragooning  rapscallions,  who 
don't  know  how  to  trate  a  lone  body  with  dacency." 

"The  fellow  has  left  my  Bible,"  said  the  veteran, 
taking  the  book  from  the  floor;  "instead  of  spending  his 
time  in  reading  it  to  prepare  for  his  end  like  a  good 
Christian,  he  has  been  busy  in  laboring  to  escape." 

15 


226  THE  SPY 

"And  who  would  stay  and  be  hanged  like  a  dog?" 
cried  Betty,  beginning  to  comprehend  the  case;  "'tisn't 
every  one  that's  born  to  meet  with  sich  an  ind — like 
yourself,  Mister  Hollister. " 

"Silence!"  said  Dunwoodie.  "This  must  be  inquired 
into  closely,  gentlemen;  there  is  no  outlet  but  the  door, 
and  there  he  could  not  pass,  unless  the  sentinel  connived 
at  his  escape,  or  was  asleep  at  his  post:  call  up  the 
guard." 

As  these  men  were  not  paraded,  curiosity  had  already 
drawn  them  to  the  place,  and  they  one  and  all,  with  the 
exception  of  him  before  mentioned,  denied  that  any  per 
son  had  passed  out.  The  individual  in  question  acknowl 
edged  that  Betty  had  gone  by  him,  but  pleaded  his  orders 
in  justification. 

"You  lie,  you  t'ief — you  lie!"  shouted  Betty,  who  had 
impatiently  listened  to  his  exculpation;  "would  ye  slan- 
derize  a  lone  woman,  by  saying  she  walks  a  camp  at  mid 
night?  Here  have  I  been  slaping  the  long  night,  swaatly 
as  the  sucking  babe." 

"Here,  sir,"  said  the  sergeant,  turning  respectfully  to 
Dunwoodie,  "is  something  written  in  my  Bible  that  was 
not  in  it  before;  for  having  no  family  to  record,  I  would 
not  suffer  any  scribbling  in  the  sacred  Book." 

One  of  the  officers  read  aloud:  "TJt,cje  certify,  that  if 
suffered  to  get  free,  it  is  by  God's  help  alone,  to  whose 
divine  aid  I  humbly  riccommind  myself.  I'  m  forced  to 
take  the  woman's  clothes,  but  in  her  pocket  is  a  ricom- 
pinse.  Witness  my  hand — Harvey  Birch. ' ' 

"What!"  roared  Betty,  "has  the  t'ief  robbed  a  lone 
woman  of  her  all! — hang  him — catch  him  and  hang  him, 
major;  if  there's  law  or  justice  in  the  land." 

"Examine  your  pocket,"  said  one  of  the  youngsters, 
who  was  enjoying  the  scene,  careless  of  the  consequences. 

"Ah!  faith,"  cried  the  washerwoman,  producing  a 
guinea,  "but  he  is  a  jewel  of  a  piddler!  Long  life  and 
a  brisk  trade  to  him,  say  I;  he  is  wilcome  to  the  duds — 
and  if  he  is  ever  hanged,  many  a  bigger  rogue  will  go 
free." 

Dunwoodie  turned  to  leave  the  apartment,  and  he  saw 
Captain  Lawton  standing  with  folded  arms,  contemplat- 


THE  SPY  227 

ing  the  scene  with  profound  silence.  His  manner,  so 
different  from  his  usual  impetuosity  and  zeal,  struck  his 
commander  as  singular.  Their  eyes  met,  and  they  walked 
together  for  a  few  minutes  in  close  conversation,  when 
Dunwoodie  returned  and  dismissed  the  guard  to  their 
place  of  rendezvous.  Sergeant  Hollister,  however,  con 
tinued  along  with  Betty,  who,  having  found  none  of  her 
vestments  disturbed  but  such  as  the  guinea  more  than 
paid  for,  was  in  high  good-humor.  The  washerwoman 
had  for  a  long  time  looked  on  the  veteran  with  the  eyes 
of  affection;  and  she  had  determined  within  herself  to 
remove  certain  delicate  objections  which  had  long  embar 
rassed  her  peculiar  situation,  as  respected  the  corps,  by 
making  the  sergeant  the  successor  of  her  late  husband. 
For  some  time  past  the  trooper  had  seemed  to  flatter  this 
preference;  and  Betty,  conceiving  that  her  violence  might 
have  mortified  her  suitor,  was  determined  to  make  him 
all  the  amends  in  her  power.  Besides,  rough  and  un 
couth  as  she  was,  the  washerwoman  had  still  enough  of 
her  sex  to  know  that  the  moments  of  reconciliation  were 
the  moments  of  power.  She  therefore  poured  out  a  glass 
of  her  morning  beverage,  and  handed  it  to  her  companion 
as  a  peace-offering. 

"A  few  warm  words  between  fri'nds  are  a  trifle,  ye 
must  be  knowing,  sargeant,"  said  the  washerwoman; 
"it  was  Michael  Flanagan  that  I  ever  calumn'ated  the 
most  when  I  was  loving  him  the  best." 

"Michael  was  a  good  soldier  and  a  brave  man,"  said 
the  trooper,  finishing  the  glass;  "our  troop  was  covering 
the  flank  of  his  regiment  when  he  fell,  and  I  rode  over 
his  body  myself  during  the  day;  poor  fellow!  he  lay  on 
his  back,  and  looked  as  composed  as  if  ^he  had  died  a  nat 
ural  death  after  a  year's  consumption." 

"Oh!  Michael  was  a  great  consumer,  and  be  sartin; 
two  such  as  us  make  dreadful  inroads  in  the  stock, 
sargeant.  But  ye're  a  sober  discrate  man,  Mister  Hollis 
ter,  and  would  be  a  helpmate  indeed." 

"Why,  Mrs.  Flanagan,  I've  tarried  to  speak  on  a  sub 
ject  that' lies  heavy  at  my  heart,  and  I  will  now  open  my 
mind,  if  you've  leisure  to  listen." 

"Is  it  listen?"  cried  the  impatient  woman;     and  I  d 


228  THE   SPY 

listen  to  you,  sargeant,  if  the  officers  never  ate  another 
mouthful:  but  take  a  second  drop,  dear;  'twill  encourage 
you  to  spake  freely." 

"I  am  already  bold  enough  in  so  good  a  cause,"  re 
turned  the  veteran,  rejecting  her  bounty.  "Betty,  do 
you  think  it  was  really  the  peddler  spy  that  I  placed  in 
this  room  the  last  night?" 

"And  who  should  it  be  else,  darling?" 

"The  evil  one." 

"What,  thedivil?" 

"Aye,  even  Beelzebub,  disguised  as  the  peddler;  and 
them  fellows  we  thought  to  be  Skinners  were  his  imps!" 

"Well  sure,  sargeant  dear,  ye're  but  little  out  this 
time,  any  way,  for  if  the  divil's  imps  go  at  large  in  the 
county  West-Chester,  sure  it  is  the  Skinners  them 
selves.  ' ' 

"Mrs.  Flanagan,  I  mean  in  their  incarnate  spirits;  the 
evil  one  knew  that  there  was  no  one  we  would  arrest 
sooner  than  the  peddler  Birch,  and  he  took  on  his  appear 
ance  to  gain  admission  to  your  room." 

"And  what  should  the  divil  be  wanting  of  me?"  cried 
Betty,  tartly;  "and  isn't  there  divils  enough  in  the  corps 
already,  without  one's  coming  from  the  bottomless  pit  to 
frighten  a  lone  body?" 

"'Twas  in  mercy  to  you,  Betty,  that  he  was  permitted 
to  come.  You  see  he  vanished  through  the  door  in  your 
form,  which  is  a  symbol  of  your  fate,  unless  you  mend 
your  life.  Oh!  I  noticed  how  he  trembled  when  I  gave 
him  the  good  Book,  Would  any  Christian,  think  you, 
my  dear  Betty,  write  in  a  Bible  in  this  way;  unless  it 
might  be  the  matter  of  births  and  deaths,  and  such  law 
ful  chronicles?" 

The  washerwoman  was  pleased  with  the  softness  of  her 
lover's  manner,  but  dreadfully  scandalized  at  his  insinua 
tion.  She  however  preserved  her  temper,  and  with  the 
quickness  of  her  own  country's  people,  rejoined: 

"And  would  the  divil  have  paid  for  the  clothes,  think 
ye? — aye,  and  overpaid." 

"Doubtless  the  money  is  base,"  said  the  sergeant,  a 
little  staggered  at  such  an  evidence  of  honesty  in  one 
of  whom,  as  to  generals,  he  thought  so  meanly.  "He 


THE  SPY  229 

tempted  me  with  his  glittering  coin,  but  the  Lord  gave 
me  strength  to  resist." 

"The  goold  looks  well;  but  I'll  change  it,  anyway, 
with  Captain  Jack,  the  day.  He  is  never  a  bit  afeared 
of  any  divil  of  them  all!" 

"Betty,  Betty,"  said  her  companion,  "do  not  speak  so 
disreverently  of  the  evil  spirit;  he  is  ever  at  hand,  and 
will  owe  you  a  grudge  for  your  language." 

"Pooh!  if  he  has  any  bowels  at  all,  he  won't  mind  a 
fillip  or  two  from  a  poor  lone  woman;  I'm  sure  no  other 
Christian  would." 

"But  the  dark  one  has  no  bowels,  except  to  devour  the 
children  of  men,"  said  the  sergeant,  looking  around  him 
in  horror;  "and  it's  best  to  make  friends  everywhere, 
for  there  is  no  telling  what  may  happen  till  it  comes. 
But,  Betty,  no  man  could  have  got  out  of  this  place,  and 
passed  all  the  sentinels,  without  being  known:  take  awful 
warning  from  the  visit  therefore — 

Here  the  dialogue  was  interrupted  by  a  peremptory 
summons  to  the  sutler  to  prepare  the  morning's  repast, 
and  they  were  obliged  to  separate;  the  woman  secretly 
hoping  that  the  interest  the  sergeant  manifested  was 
more  earthly  than  he  imagined;  and  the  man,  bent  on 
saving  a  soul  from  the  fangs  of  the  dark  spirit  that  was 
prowling  through  their  camp  in  quest  of  victims. 

During  the  breakfast  several  expresses  arrived,  one  of 
which  brought  intelligence  of  the  actual  force  and  des 
tination  of  the  enemy's  expedition  that  was  out  on  the 
Hudson;  and  another,  orders  to  send  Captain  Wharton 
to  the  first  post  above,  under  the  escort  of  a  body  of 
dragoons.  These  last  instructions,  or  rather  commands, 
for  they  admitted  of  no  departure  from  their  letter,  com 
pleted  the  sum  of  Dunwoodie's  uneasiness.  The  despair 
and  misery  of  Frances  were  constantly  before  his  eyes, 
and  fifty  times  he  was  tempted  to  throw  himself  on  his 
horse  and  gallop  to  the  Locusts;  but  an  uncontrollable 
feeling  prevented.  In  obedience  to  the  commands  of  his 
superior,  an  officer,  with  a  small  party,  was  sent  to  the 
cottage  to  conduct  Henry  Wharton  to  the  place  directed; 
and  the  gentleman  who  was  intrusted  with  the  execution 
of  the  order  was  charged  with  a  letter  from  Dunwoodie 


230  THE   SPY 

to  his  friend,  containing  the  most  cheering  assurances  of 
his  safety,  as  well  as  the  strongest  pledges  of  his  own 
unceasing  exertions  in  his  favor.  Lawton  was  left  with 
part  of  his  own  troop,  in  charge  of  the  few  wounded ;  and 
as  soon  as  the  men  were  refreshed,  the  encampment 
broke  up,  the  main  body  marching  towards  the  Hudson. 
Dunwoodie  repeated  his  injunctions  to  Captain  Lawton 
again  and  again— dwelt  on  every  word  that  had  fallen 
from  the  peddler,  and  canvassed,  in  every  possible  man 
ner  that  his  ingenuity  could  devise,  the  probable  mean 
ing  of  his  mysterious  warnings,  until  no  excuse  remained 
for  delaying  his  own  departure.  Suddenly  recollecting, 
however,  that  no  directions  had  been  given  for  the  dis 
posal  of  Colonel  Wellmere,  instead  of  following  the  rear 
of  the  column,  the  major  yielded  to  his  desires,  and 
turned  down  the  road  which  led  to  the  Locusts.  The 
horse  of  Dunwoodie  was  fleet  as  the  wind,  and  scarcely  a 
minute  seemed  to  have  passed  before  he  gained  sight, 
from  an  eminence,  of  the  lonely  vale,  and  as  he  was 
plunging  into  the  bottom  lands  that  formed  its  surface, 
he  caught  a  glimpse  of  Henry  Wharton  and  his  escort,  at 
a  distance,  defiling  through  a  pass  which  led  to  the  posts 
above.  This  sight  added  to  the  speed  of  the  anxious 
youth,  who  now  turned  the  angle  of  the  hill  that  opened 
to  the  valley,  and  came  suddenly  on  the  object  of  his 
search.  Frances  had  followed  the  party  which  guarded 
her  brother,  at  a  distance;  and  as  they  vanished  from  her 
sight,  she  felt  deserted  by  all  that  she  most  prized  in 
this  world.  The  unaccountable  absence  of  Dunwoodie, 
with  the  shock  of  parting  from  Henry  under  such  cir 
cumstances,  had  entirely  subdued  her  fortitude,  and  she 
had  sunk  on  a  stone  by  the  roadside,  sobbing  as  if  her 
heart  would  break.  Dunwoodie  sprang  from  his  charger, 
threw  the  reins  over  the  neck  of  the  animal,  and  in  a  mo 
ment  he  was  by  the  side  of  the  weeping  girl. 

"Frances — my  own  Frances!"  he  exclaimed,  "why  this 
distress? — let  not  the  situation  of  your  brother  create 
any  alarm.  As  soon  as  the  duty  I  am  now  on  is  com 
pleted,  I  will  hasten  to  the  feet  of  Washington,  and  beg 
his  release.  The  Father  of  his  Country  will  never  deny 
such  a  boon  to  one  of  his  favorite  pupils." 


THE  SPY  231 

"Major  Dunwoodie,  for  your  interest  in  behalf  of  my 
poor  brother,  I  thank  you,"  said  the  trembling  girl,  dry 
ing  her  eyes,  and  rising  with  dignity;  "but  such  language 
addressed  to  me,  surely,  is  improper. ' ' 

"Improper!  are  you  not  mine — by  the  consent  of  your 
father — your  aunt — your  brother — nay,  by  your  own  con 
sent,  my  sweet  Frances?" 

"I  wish  not,  Major  Dunwoodie,  to  interfere  with  the 
prior  claims  that  any  other  lady  may  have  to  your  affec 
tions,"  said  Frances,  struggling  to  speak  with  firmness. 

"None  other,  I  swear  by  Heaven,  none  other  has  any 
claim  on  me!"  cried  Dunwoodie,  with  fervor;  "you 
alone  are  mistress  of  my  inmost  soul." 

"You  have  practiced  so  much,  and  so  successfully, 
Major  Dunwoodie,  that  it  is  no  wonder  you  excell  in 
deceiving  the  credulity  of  my  sex,"  returned  Frances, 
attempting  a  smile,  which  the  tremulousness  of  her  mus 
cles  smothered  in  its  birth. 

"Am  I  a  villain,  Miss  Wharton,  that  you  receive  me 
with  such  language? — when  have  I  ever  deceived  you, 
Frances?  who  has  practiced  in  this  manner  on  your  purity 
of  heart?" 

"Why  has  not  Major  Dunwoodie  honored  the  dwelling 
of  his  intended  father  with  his  presence  lately?  Did  he 
forget  it  contained  one  friend  on  a  bed  of  sickness,  and 
another  in  deep  distress?  Has  it  escaped  his  memory 
that  it  held  his  intended  wife?  Or  is  he  fearful  of  meet 
ing  more  than  one  that  can  lay  a  claim  to  that  title?  Oh, 
Peyton — Peyton,  how  have  I  been  deceived  in  you!  with 
the  foolish  credulity  of  my  youth,  I  thought  you  all  that 
was  brave,  noble,  generous,  and  loyal." 

"Frances,  I  see  how  you  have  deceived  yourself,"  cried 
Dunwoodie,  his  face  in  a  glow  of  fire;  "you  do  me  injus 
tice;  I  swear  by  all  that  is  most  ,'dear  to  me,  that  you  do 
me  injustice." 

"Swear  not,  Major  Dunwoodie,"  interrupted  Frances, 
her  fine  countenance  lighting  with  the  lustre  of  womanly 
pride;  "the  time  is  gone  by  for  me  to  credit  oaths." 

"Miss  Wharton,  would  you  have  me  a  coxcomb— make 
me  contemptible  in  my  own  eyes,  by  boasting  with  the 
hope  of  raising  myself  in  your  estimation?" 


232  THE   SPY 

"Flatter  not  yourself  that  the  task  is  so  easy,  sir," 
returned  Frances,  moving  towards  the  cottage;  "we  con 
verse  together  in  private  for  the  last  time;  but — possibly 
— my  father  would  welcome  my  mother's  kinsman." 

"No,  Miss  Wharton,  I  cannot  enter  his  dwelling  now: 
I  should  act  in  a  manner  unworthy  of  myself.  You  drive 
me  from  you,  Frances,  in  despair.  I  am  going  on  des 
perate  service,  and  may  not  live  to  return.  Should  for 
tune  prove  severe,  at  least  do  my  memory  justice;  re 
member  that  the  last  breathings  of  my  soul  will  be  for 
your  happiness."  So  saying,  he  had  already  placed  his 
foot  in  the  stirrup,  but  his  youthful  mistress,  turning  on 
him  an  eye  that  pierced  his  soul,  arrested  the  action. 

"Peyton — Major  Dunwoodie,"  she  said,  "can  you  ever 
forget  the  sacred  cause  in  which  you  are  enlisted?  Duty 
both  to  your  God  and  to  your  country  forbids  your  doing 
anything  rashly.  The  latter  has  need  of  your  services; 
besides" — but  her  voice  became  choked,  and  she  was 
unable  to  proceed. 

"Besides  what?"  echoed  the  youth,  springing  to  her 
side,  and  offering  to  take  her  hand  in  his  own.  Frances 
having,  however,  recovered  herself,  coldly  repulsed  him, 
and  continued  her  walk  homeward. 

"Is  this  our  parting!"  cried  Dunwoodie,  in  agony; 
"am  I  a  wretch,  that  you  treat  me  so  cruelly?  You  have 
never  loved  me,  and  wish  to  conceal  your  own  fickleness 
by  accusations  that  you  will  not  explain." 

Frances  stopped  short  in  her  walk,  and  turned  on  him 
a  look  of  so  much  purity  and  feeling,  that,  heart-stricken, 
Dunwoodie  would  have  knelt  at  her  feet  for  pardon;  but 
motioning  him  for  silence,  she  once  more  spoke: 

"Hear  me,  Major  Dunwoodie,  for  the  last  time:  it  is  a 
bitter  knowledge  when  we  first  discover  our  own  inferi 
ority;  but  it  is  a  truth  that  I  have  lately  learnt.  Against 
you  I  bring  no  charges — make  no  accusations;  no,  not 
willingly  in  my  thoughts.  Were  my  claims  to  your  heart 
just,  I  am  not  worthy  of  you.  It  is  not  a  feeble,  timid 
girl,  like  me,  that  could  make  you  happy.  No,  Peyton, 
you  are  formed  for  great  and  glorious  actions,  deeds  of 
daring  and  renown,  and  should  be  united  to  a  soul  like 
your  own;  one  that  can  rise  above  the  weakness  of  her 


THE   SPY  233 

S6?'u  IJ^°uld  be  a  wei^ht  to  drag  you  to  the  dust;  but 
with  a  different  spirit  in  your  companion,  you  might  soar 
to  the  very  pinnacle  of  earthly  glory.  To  such  a  one 
therefore,  I  resign  you  freely,  if  not  cheerfully  and 
pray,  oh,  how  fervently  do  I  pray!  that  with  such  a  one 
you  may  be  happy." 

"Lovely  enthusiast!"  cried  Dunwoodie,  "you  know  not 
yourself,  nor  me.  It  is  a  woman,  mild,  gentle,  and  de 
pendent  as  yourself,  that  my  very  nature  loves;  deceive 
not  yourself  with  visionary  ideas  of  generosity,  which 
will  only  make  me  miserable." 

"Farewell,  Major  Dunwoodie,"  said  the  agitated  girl, 
pausing  for  a  moment  to  gasp  for  breath;  "forget  that 
you  ever  knew  me — remember  the  claims  of  your  bleed 
ing  country;  and  be  happy." 

"Happy!"  repeated  the  youthful  soldier,  bitterly,  as 
he  saw  her  light  form  gliding  through  the  gate  of  the 
lawn,  and  disappearing  behind  its  shrubbery;  "yes,  I  am 
now  happy,  indeed!" 

Throwing  himself  into  the  saddle,  he  plunged  his  spurs 
into  his  horse,  and  soon  overtook  his  squadron,  which 
was  marching  slowly  over  the  hilly  roads  of  the  county, 
to  gain  the  banks  of  the  Hudson. 

But  painful  as  were  the  feelings  of  Dunwoodie  at  this 
unexpected  termination  of  the  interview  with  his  mis 
tress,  they  were  but  light  compared  with  those  which 
were  experienced  by  the  fond  girl  herself.  Frances  had, 
with  the  keen  eye  of  jealous  love,  easily  detected  the 
attachment  of  Isabella  Singleton  to  Dunwoodie.  Deli 
cate  and  retiring  herself,  it  never  could  present  itself  to 
her  mind  that  this  love  had  been  unsought.  Ardent  in 
her  own  affections,  and  artless  in  their  exhibition,  she 
had  early  caught  the  eye  of  the  young  soldier;  but  it 
required  all  the  manly  frankness  of  Dunwoodie  to  court 
her  favor,  and  the  most  pointed  devotion  to  obtain  his 
conquest.  This  done,  his  power  was  durable,  entire,  and 
engrossing.  But  the  unusual  occurrences  of  the  few 
preceding  days,  the  altered  mien  of  her  lover  during 
those  events,  his  unwonted  indifference  to  herself,  and 
chiefly  the  romantic  idolatry  of  Isabella,  had  aroused  new 
sensations  in  her  bosom.  With  a  dread  of  her  lover's 


234  THE   SPY 

integrity  had  been  awakened  the  never-failing  concomi 
tant  of  the  purest  affection,  a  distrust  of  her  own  merits. 
In  the  moment  of  enthusiasm,  the  task  of  resigning  her 
lover  to  another,  who  might  be  more  worthy  of  him, 
seemed  easy;  but  it  is  in  vain  that  the  imagination  at 
tempts  to  deceive  the  heart.  Dunwoodie  had  no  sooner 
disappeared,  than  our  heroine  felt  all  the  misery  of  her 
situation;  and  if  the  youth  found  some  relief  in  the  cares 
of  his  command,  Frances  was  less  fortunate  in  the  per 
formance  of  a  duty  imposed  on  her  by  filial  piety.  The 
removal  of  his  son  had  nearly  destroyed  the  little  energy 
of  Mr.  Wharton,  who  required  all  the  tenderness  of  his 
remaining  children  to  convince  him  that  he  was  able  to 
perform  the  ordinary  functions  of  life. 


CHAPTER  XX 

'Flatter  and  praise,  commend,  extol  their  graces. 
Though  ne'er  so  black,  say  they  have  angels'  faces, 
That  man  who  hath  a  tongue  I  say  is  no  man, 
If  with  that  tongue  he  cannot  win  a  woman." 

—Two  GENTLEMEN  OP  VERONA. 

IN  making  the  arrangements  by  which  Captain  Lawton 
had  been  left,  with  Sergeant  Hollister  and  twelve  men, 
as  a  guard  over  the  wounded,  and  heavy  baggage  of  the 
corps,  Dunwoodie  had  consulted  not  only  the  information 
which  had  been  conveyed  in  the  letter  of  Colonel  Single 
ton,  but  the  bruises  of  his  comrade's  body.  In  vain  Law- 
ton  declared  himself  fit  for  any  duty  that  man  could 
perform,  or  plainly  intimated  that  his  men  would  never 
follow  Tom  Mason  to  a  charge  with  the  alacrity  and  con 
fidence  with  which  they  followed  himself;  his  commander 
was  firm,  and  the  reluctant  captain  was  compelled  to  com 
ply  with  as  good  a  grace  as  he  could  assume.  Before 
parting,  Dunwoodie  repeated  his  caution  to  keep  a  watch 
ful  eye  on  the  inmates  of  the  cottage;  and  especially 
enjoined  him,  if  any  movements  of  a  particularly  suspi 
cious  nature  were  seen  in  the  neighborhood,  to  break  up 
from  his  present  quarters,  and  to  move  down  with  his 
party,  and  take  possession  of  the  domains  of  Mr.  Whar- 
ton.  A  vague  suspicion  of  danger  to  the  family  had  been 
awakened  in  the  breast  of  the  major,  by  the  language  of 
the  peddler,  although  he  was  unable  to  refer  it  to  any 
particular  source,  or  to  understand  why  it  was  to  be 
apprehended. 

For  some  time  after  the  departure  of  the  troops^  the 
captain  was  walking  before  the  door  of  the  "Hotel,"  in 
wardly  cursing  his  fate,  that  condemned  him  to  an  in 
glorious  idleness,  at  a  moment  when  a  meeting  with  the 
enemy  might  be  expected,  and  replying  to  the  occasional 
queries  of  Betty,  who,  from  the  interior  of  the  building, 

235 


236  THE   SPY 

ever  and  anon  demanded,  in  a  high  tone  of  voice,  an 
explanation  of  various  passages  in  the  peddler's  escape, 
which  as  yet  she  could  not  comprehend.  At  this  instant 
he  was  joined  by  the  surgeon,  who  had  hitherto  been  en 
gaged  among  his  patients  in  a  distant  building,  and  was 
profoundly  ignorant  of  everything  that  had  occurred, 
even  to  the  departure  of  the  troops. 

"Where  are  all  the  sentinels,  John?"  he  inquired,  as 
he  gazed  around  with  a  look  of  curiosity,  "and  why  are 
you  here,  alone?" 

"Off — all  off,  with  Dunwoodie,  to  the  river.  You  and 
I  are  left  here  to  take  care  of  a  few  sick  men  and  some 
women. ' ' 

"I  am  glad,  however,"  said  the  surgeon,  "that  Major 
Dunwoodie  had  consideration  enough  not  to  move  the 
wounded.  Here,  you  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Flanagan,  hasten 
with  some  food,  that  I  may  appease  my  appetite.  I  have 
a  dead  body  to  dissect  and  am  in  haste." 

"And  here,  you  Mister  Doctor  Archibald  Sitgreaves," 
echoed  Betty,  showing  her  blooming  countenance  from  a 
broken  window  of  the  kitchen,  "you  are  ever  a-coming 
too  late;  here  is  nothing  to  ate  but  the  skin  of  Jenny,  and 
the  body  ye're  mintioning. " 

"Woman!"  said  the  surgeon,  in  anger,  "do  you  ttake 
me  for  a  cannibal,  that  you  address  your  filthy  discourse 
to  me,  in  this  manner?  I  bid  you  hasten  with  such  food 
as  may  be  proper  to  be  received  into  the  stomach  fast 
ing." 

"And  I'm  sure  it's  for  a  pop-gun  that  I  should  be  taking 
you  sooner  than  for  a  cannon-ball,"  said  Betty,  winking 
at  the  captain;  "and  I  tell  ye  that  it's  fasting  you  must 
be,  unless  ye' 11  let  me  cook  ye  a  steak  from  the  skin  of 
Jenny.  The  boys  have  ate  me  up  entirely." 

Lawton  now  interfered  to  preserve  the  peace,  and  as 
sured  the  surgeon  that  he  had  already  despatched  the 
proper  persons  in  quest  of  food  for  the  party.  A  little 
modified  with  this  explanation,  the  operator  soon  forgot 
his  hunger,  and  declared  his  intention  of  proceeding  to 
business  at  once. 

"And  where  is  your  subject?"  asked  Lawton. 

"The  peddler,"  said  the  other,  glancing  a  look  at  the 


THE  SPY  237 

signpost.  "I  made  Hollister  put  a  stage  so  high  that  the 
neck  would  not  be  dislocated  by  the  fall,  and  I  intend 
making  as  handsome  a  skeleton  of  him,  as  there  is  in  the 
States  of  North  America;  ths  fellow  has  good  points  and 
his  bones  are  well  knit.  I  will  make  a  perfect  beauty  of 
him  [  have  long  been  wanting  something  of  this  sort  to 
send  as  a  present  to  my  old  aunt  in  Virginia,  who  was  so 
kind  to  me  when  a  boy." 

"The  devil!"  cried  Lawton;  "would  you  send  the  old 
woman  a  dead  man's  bones?" 

"Why  not?"  said  the  surgeon;  "what  nobler  object  is 
there  in  nature  than  the  figure  of  a  man— and  the  skele 
ton  may  be  called  his  elementary  parts.     But  what  has 
been  done  with  the  body?" 
"Off  too." 

"Off!  and  who  has  dared  to  interfere  with  my  per 
quisites?" 

"Sure,  jist  the  divil,"  said  Betty;  "and  who'll  be  tak 
ing  yeerself  away  some  of  these  times  too,  without  asking 
yeer  lave." 

"Silence,  you  witch!"  said  Lawton,  with  difficulty  sup 
pressing  a  laugh;  "is  this  the  manner  in  which  to  address 
an  officer?" 

"Who  called  me  the  filthy  Elizabeth  Flanagan?"  cried 
the  washerwoman,  snapping  her  fingers  contemptuously; 
"I  can  remimber  a  frind  for  a  year  and  don't  forgit  an 
inimy  for  a  month." 

But  the  friendship  or  enmity  of  Mrs.  Flanagan  was 
alike  indifferent  to  the  surgeon,  who  could  think  of  noth 
ing  but  his  loss;  and  Lawton  was  obliged  to  explain  to  his 
friend  the  apparent  manner  in  which  it  had  happened. 

"And  a  lucky  escape  it  was  for  ye,  my  jewel  of  a  doc 
tor,"  cried  Betty,  as  the  captain  concluded.  "Sergeant 
Hollister,  who  saw  him  face  to  face,  as  it  might  be,  says 
it's  Beelzeboob,  and  no  piddler,  unless  it  may  be  in  a 
small  matter  of  lies  and  thefts,  and  sich  wickedness. 
Now  a  pretty  figure  ye  would  have  been  in  cutting  up 
Beelzeboob,  if  the  major  had  hanged  him.  I  don't  think 
it's  very  'asy  he  would  have  been  under  yeer  knife." 

Thus  doubly  disappointed  in  his  meal  and  his  business, 
Sitgreaves  suddenly  declared  his  intention  of  visiting  the 


238  THE  SPY 

Locusts,  and  inquiring  into  the  state  of  Captain  Single 
ton.  Lawton  was  ready  for  the  excursion;  and  mount 
ing,  they  were  soon  on  the  road,  though  the  surgeon  was 
obliged  to  submit  to  a  few  more  jokes  from  the  washer 
woman,  before  he  could  get  out  of  hearing.  For  some 
time  the  two  rode  in  silence,  when  Lawton,  perceiving 
that  his  companion's  temper  was  somewhat  ruffled  by  his 
disappointments  and  Betty's  attack,  made  an  effort  to 
restore  the  tranquillity  of  his  feelings. 

"That  was  a  charming  song,  Archibald,  that  you  com 
menced  last  evening,  when  we  were  interrupted  by  the 
party  that  brought  in  the  peddler,"  he  said:  "the  allu 
sion  to  Galen  was  much  to  the  purpose." 

"I  knew  you  would  like  it,  Jack,  when  you  had  got  the 
fumes  of  the  wine  out  of  your  head.  Poetry  is  a  respect 
able  art,  though  it  wants  the  precision  of  the  exact 
sciences,  and  the  natural  beneficence  of  the  physical. 
Considered  in  reference  to  the  wants  of  life,  I  should  de 
fine  poetry  as  an  emollient,  rather  than  as  a  succulent." 

"And  yet  your  ode  was  full  of  the  meat  of  wit." 

"Ode  is  by  no  means  a  proper  term  for  the  composi 
tion;  I  should  term  it  a  classical  ballad." 

"Very  probably,"  said  the  trooper;  "hearing  only  one 
verse,  it  was  difficult  to  class  the  composition." 

The  surgeon  involuntarily  hemmed,  and  began  to  clear 
his  throat,  although  scarcely  conscious  himself  to  what 
the  preparation  tended.  But  the  captain,  rolling  his 
dark  eyes  towards  his  companion,  and  observing  him  to 
be  sitting  with  great  uneasiness  on  his  horse,  continued: 

"The  air  is  still,  and  the  road  solitary — why  not  give 
the  remainder?  It  is  never  too  late  to  repair  a  loss." 

"My  dear  John,  if  I  thought  it  would  correct  the 
errors  you  have  imbibed,  from  habit  and  indulgence, 
nothing  could  give  me  more  pleasure." 

"We  are  fast  approaching  some  rocks  on  our  left;  the 
echo  will  double  my  satisfaction." 

Thus  encouraged,  and  somewhat  impelled  by  the  opin 
ion  that  he  both  sang  and  wrote  with  taste,  the  surgeon 
set  about  complying  with  the  request  in  sober  earnest. 
Some  little  time  was  lost  in  clearing  his  throat,  and  get 
ting  the  proper  pitch  of  his  voice;  but  no  sooner  were 


THE  SPY  239 

these  two  points  achieved,  than  Lawton  had  the  secret 
delight  of  hearing  his  friend  commence: 


'Hast  thou  ever- 


"Hush!"  interrupted  the  trooper;  "what  rustling  noise 
is  that  among  the  rocks?" 

"It  must  have  been  the  rushing  of  the  melody.  A 
powerful  voice  is  like  the  breathing  of  the  winds. 


'Hast  thou  ever- 


' 'Listen!"  said  Lawton,  stopping  his  horse.  He  had 
not  done  speaking,  when  a  stone  fell  at  his  feet,  and 
rolled  harmlessly  across  the  path. 

"A  friendly  shot,  that,"  cried  the  trooper;  "neither 
the  weapon,  nor  its  force,  implies  much  ill-will." 

"Blows  from  stones  seldom  produce  more  than  contu 
sions,"  said  the  operator,  bending  his  gaze  in  every 
direction  in  vain,  in  quest  of  the  hand  from  which  the 
missile  had  been  hurled;  "it  must  be  meteoric;  there  is 
no  living  being  in  sight,  except  ourselves." 

"It  would  be  easy  to  hide  a  regiment  behind  those 
rocks,"  returned  the  trooper,  dismounting,  and  taking 
the  stone  in  his  hand.  "Oh!  here  is  the  explanation 
along  with  the  mystery."  So  saying,  he  tore  a  piece  of 
paper  that  had  been  ingeniously  fastened  to  the  small 
fragment  of  rock  which  had  thus  singularly  fallen  before 
him:  and  opening  it,  the  captain  read  the  following 
words,  written  in  no  very  legible  hand : 

"A  musket  bullet  will  go  farther  than  a  stone,  and 
things  more  dangerous  than  yarbs  for  wounded  men  lie 
hid  in  the  rocks  of  West-Chester.  The  horse  may  be 
good,  but  can  he  mount  a  precipice  ?  ' ' 

"Thou  sayest  the  truth,  strange  man,"  said  Lawton, 
"courage  and  activity  would  avail  but  little  against 
assassination  and  these  rugged  passes."  Remounting  his 
horse,  he  cried  aloud,  "Thanks,  unknown  friend;  your 
caution  will  be  remembered." 

A  meagre  hand  was  extended  for  an  instant  over  a 
rock,  in  the  air,  and  afterwards  nothing  further  was 
seen,  or  heard,  in  that  quarter,  by  the  soldiers. 


240  THE   SPY 

"Quite  an  extraordinary  interruption,"  said  the  aston 
ished  Sitgreaves,  "and  a  letter  of  very  mysterious  mean 
ing." 

"Oh!  'tis  nothing  but  the  wit  of  some  bumpkin,  who 
thinks  to  frighten  two  of  the  Virginians  by  an  artifice  of 
this  kind,"  said  the  trooper,  placing  the  billet  in  his 
pocket;  "but  let  me  tell  you,  Mr.  Archibald  Sitgreaves, 
you  were  wanting  to  dissect,  just  now,  a  damned  honest 
fellow." 

"It  was  the  peddler — one  of  the  most  notorious  spies 
in  the  enemy's  service;  and  I  must  say  that  I  think  it 
would  be  an  honor  to  such  a  man  to  be  devoted  to  the 
uses  of  science. ' ' 

"He  may  be  a  spy — he  must  be  one,"  said  Lawton, 
musing;  "but  he  has  a  heart  above  enmity,  and  a  soul 
that  would  honor  a  soldier." 

The  surgeon  turned  a  vacant  eye  on  his  companion  as 
he  uttered  this  soliloquy,  while  the  penetrating  looks  of 
the  trooper  had  already  discovered  another  pile  of  rocks, 
which,  jutting  forward,  nearly  obstructed  the  highway 
that  wound  directly  around  its  base. 

"What  the  steed  cannot  mount,  the  foot  of  man  can 
overcome,"  exclaimed  the  wary  partisan.  Throwing 
himself  again  from  his  saddle,  and  leaping  a  wall  of 
stone,  he  began  to  ascend  the  hill  at  a  pace  which  would 
soon  have  given  him  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  rocks  in 
question,  together  with  all  their  crevices.  This  move 
ment  was  no  sooner  made,  than  Lawton  caught  a  glimpse 
of  the  figure  of  a  man  stealing  rapidly  from  his  approach, 
and  disappearing  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  precipice. 

"Spur,  Sitgreaves — spur,"  shouted  the  trooper,  dash 
ing  over  every  impediment  in  pursuit,  "and  murder  the 
villain  as  he  flies." 

The  former  part  of  the  request  was  promptly  complied 
with,  and  a  few  moments  brought  the  surgeon  in  full 
view  of  a  man  armed  with  a  musket,  who  was  crossing 
the  road  and  evidently  seeking  the  protection  of  the  thick 
wood  on  its  opposite  side. 

"Stop,  my  friend — stop  until  Captain  Lawton  comes  up, 
if  you  please,"  cried  the  surgeon,  observing  him  to  flee 
with  a  rapidity  that  baffled  his  horsemanship.  But  as  if 


THE  SPY  241 

the  invitation  contained  new  terrors,  the  footman  re 
doubled  his  efforts,  nor  paused  even  to  breathe,  until  he 
had  reached  his  goal,  when,  turning  on  his  heel,  he  dis 
charged  his  musket  towards  the  surgeon,  and  was  out  of 
sight  in^an  instant.  To  gain  the  highway,  and  throw 
himself  into  his  saddle,  detained  Lawton  but  a  moment, 
and  he  rode  to  the  side  of  his  comrade  just  as  the  figure 
disappeared. 

"Which  way  has  he  fled?"  cried  the  trooper. 

"John,"  said  the  surgeon,  "am  I  not  anon-combat 
ant?" 

"Whither  has  the  rascal  fled?"  cried  Lawton,  impa 
tiently. 

"Where  you  cannot  follow — into  that  wood.  But  I 
repeat,  John,  am  I  not  a  non-combatant?" 

The  disappointed  trooper,  perceiving  that  his  enemy 
had  escaped  him,  now  turned  his  eyes,  which  were  flash 
ing  with  anger,  upon  his  comrade,  and  gradually  his 
muscles  lost  their  rigid  compression,  his  brow  relaxed, 
and  his  look  changed  from  its  fierce  expression,  to  the 
covert  laughter  which  so  often  distinguished  his  counte 
nance.  The  surgeon  sat  in  dignified  composure  on  his 
horse;  his  thin  body  erect,  and  his  head  elevated  with  the 
indignation  of  one  conscious  of  having  been  unjustly 
treated. 

"Why  did  you  suffer  the  villain  to  escape?"  demanded 
the  captain.  "Once  within  reach  of  my  sabre,  and 
I  would  have  given  you  a  subject  for  the  dissecting 
table." 

"'Twas  impossible  to  prevent  it,"  said  the  surgeon, 
pointing  to  the  bars,  before  which  he  had  stopped  his 
horse.  "The  rogue  threw  himself  on  the  other  side  of 
this  fence,  and  left  me  where  you  see;  nor  would  the  man 
in  the  least  attend  to  my  remonstrances  or  to  an  intima 
tion  that  you  wished  to  hold  discourse  with  him." 

"He  was  truly  a  discourteous  rascal;  but  why  did  you 
not  leap  the  fence,  and  compel  him  to  halt?— you  see  but 
three  of  the  bars  are  up,  and  Betty  Flanagan  could  clear 
them  on  her  cow." 

The  surgeon,  for  the  first  time,  withdrew  his  eyes 
the  place  where  the  fugitive  had  disappeared,  and  turn 

16 


242  THE   SPY 

his  look  on  his  comrade.  His  head,  however,  was  not 
permitted  to  lower  itself  in  the  least,  as  he  replied: 

"I  humbly  conceive,  Captain  Lawton,  that  neither  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Flanagan,  nor  her  cow,  is  an  example  to  be 
emulated  by  Doctor  Archibald  Sitgreaves:  it  would  be 
but  a  sorry  compliment  to  science,  to  say  that  a  Doctor 
of  Medicine  had  fractured  both  his  legs  by  injudiciously 
striking  them  against  a  pair  of  bar-posts."  While 
speaking,  the  surgeon  raised  the  limbs  in  question  to  a 
nearly  horizontal  position,  an  attitude  which  really 
appeared  to  bid  defiance  to  anything  like  a  passage  for 
himself  through  the  defile;  but  the  trooper,  disregarding 
this  ocular  proof  of  the  impossibility  of  the  movement, 
cried  hastily: 

"Here  was  nothing  to  stop  you,  man;  I  could  leap  a 
platoon  through,  boot  and  thigh,  without  pricking  with  a 
single  spur.  Pshaw!  I  have  often  charged  upon  the 
bayonets  of  infantry,  over  greater  difficulties  than  this." 

"You  will  please  to  remember,  Captain  John  Lawton, 
that  I  am  not  the  riding-master  of  the  regiment — nor  a 
drill  sergeant — nor  a  crazy  cornet;  no,  sir — and  I  speak  it 
with  a  due  respect  for  the  commission  of  the  Continental 
Congress — nor  an  inconsiderate  captain,  who  regards  his 
own  life  as  little  as  that  of  his  enemies.  I  am  only,  sir, 
a  poor  humble  man  of  letters,  a  mere  Doctor  of  Medi 
cine,  an  unworthy  graduate  of  Edinburgh,  and  a  surgeon 
of  dragoons;  nothing  more,  I  do  assure  you,  Captain  John 
Lawton."  So  saying,  he  turned  his  horse's  head  towards 
the  cottage,  and  recommenced  his  ride. 

"Aye,  you  speak  the  truth,"  muttered  the  dragoon; 
"had  I  but  the  meanest  rider  of  my  troop  with  me,  I 
should  have  taken  the  scoundrel,  and  given  at  least  one 
victim  to  the  laws.  But,  Archibald,  no  man  can  ride 
well  who  straddles  in  this  manner  like  the  Colossus  of 
Rhodes.  You  should  depend  less  on  your  stirrup  and 
keep  your  seat  by  the  power  of  the  knee. ' ' 

"With  proper  deference  to  your  experience,  Captain 
Lawton,"  returned  the  surgeon,  "I  conceive  myself  to  be 
no  incompetent  judge  of  muscular  action,  whether  in  the 
knee,  or  any  other  part  of  the  human  frame.  And  al 
though  but  humbly  educated,  I  am  not  now  to  learn  that 


THE   SPY  243 

the  wider  the  base,  the  more  firm  is  the  superstruc 
ture." 

''Would  you  fill  a  highway,  in  this  manner,  with  one 
pair  of  legs,  when  half  a  dozen  might  pass  together  in 
comfort,  stretching  them  abroad  like  the  scythes  of  the 
ancient  chariot- wheels?" 

The  allusion  to  the  practice  of  the  ancients  somewhat 
softened  the  indignation  of  the  surgeon,  and  he  replied, 
with  rather  less  hauteur: 

"You  should  speak  with  reverence  of  the  usages  of 
those  who  have  gone  before  us,  and  who,  however  ignor 
ant  they  were  in  matters  of  science,  and  particularly  that 
of  surgery,  yet  furnished  many  brilliant  hints  to  our  own 
improvements.  Now,  sir,  I  have  no  doubt  that  Galen 
has  operated  on  wounds  occasioned  by  these  very  scythes 
that  you  mention,  although  we  can  find  no  evidence  of  the 
fact  in  contemporary  writers.  Ah !  they  must  have  given 
dreadful  injuries,  and,  I  doubt  not,  caused  great  uneasi 
ness  to  the  medical  gentlemen  of  that  day. ' ' 

"Occasionally  a  body  must  have  been  left  in  two  pieces, 
to  puzzle  the  ingenuity  of  those  gentry  to  unite.  Yet, 
venerable  and  learned  as  they  were,  I  doubt  not  they 
did  it." 

"What!  unite  two  parts  of  the  human  body,  that  have 
been  severed  by  an  edged  instrument,  to  any  of  the  pur 
poses  of  animal  life?" 

"That  have  been  rent  asunder  by  a  scythe,  and  are 
united  to  do  military  duty,"  said  Lawton. 

"'Tis  impossible— quite  impossible,"  cried  the  sur 
geon;  "it  is  in  vain,  Captain  Lawton,  that  human  ingenu 
ity  endeavors  to  baffle  the  efforts  of  nature.  Think,  my 
dear  sir;  in  this  case  you  separate  all  the  arteries— injure 
all  of  the  intestines— sever  all  of  the  nerves  and  sinews, 
and,  what  is  of  more  consequence,  you— 

"You  have  said  enough,  Dr.  Sitgreaves,  to  convince  a 
member  of  a  rival  school.  Nothing  shall  ever  tempt  me 
willingly  to  submit  to  be  divided  in  this  irretrievable 
manner. ' ' 

"Certes,  there  is  little  pleasure  in  a  wound  which, 
from  its  nature,  is  incurable." 

"I  should  think  so,"  said  Lawton,  dryly. 


244  THE  SPY 

"What  do  you  think  is  the  greatest  pleasure  in  life?" 
asked  the  operator,  suddenly. 

"That  must  greatly  depend  on  taste." 

"Not  at  all,"  ciied  the  surgeon;  "it  is  in  witnessing, 
or  rather  feeling,  the  ravages  of  disease  repaired  by  the 
lights  of  science  co-operating  with  nature.  I  once  broke 
my  little  finger  intentionally,  in  order  that  I  might 
reduce  the  fracture  and  watch  the  cure:  it  was  only  on  a 
small  scale,  you  know,  dear  John;  still  the  thrilling  sensa 
tion  excited  by  the  knitting  of  the  bone,  aided  by  the 
contemplation  of  the  art  of  man  thus  acting  in  unison 
with  nature,  exceeded  any  other  enjoyment  that  I  have 
ever  experienced.  Now,  had  it  been  one  of  the  more  im 
portant  members,  such  as  the  leg  or  arm,  how  much 
greater  must  the  pleasure  have  been!" 

"Or  the  neck,"  said  the  trooper;  but  their  desultory 
discourse  was  interrupted  by  their  arrival  at  the  cottage 
of  Mr.  Wharton.  No  one  appearing  to  usher  them  into 
an  apartment,  the  captain  proceeded  to  the  door  of  the 
parlor,  where  he  knew  visitors  were  commonly  received. 
On  opening  it,  he  paused  for  a  moment,  in  admiration  at 
the  scene  within.  The  person  of  Colonel  Wellmere  first 
met  his  eye,  bending  towards  the  figure  of  the  blushing 
Sarah,  with  an  earnestness  of  manner  that  prevented  the 
noise  of  Lawton's  entrance  from  being  heard  by  either  of 
the  parties.  Certain  significant  signs,  which  were  em 
braced  at  a  glance  by  the  prying  gaze  of  the  trooper,  at 
once  made  him  master  of  their  secret;  and  he  was  about 
to  retire  as  silently  as  he  had  advanced,  when  his  com 
panion,  pushing  himself  through  the  passage,  abruptly 
entered  the  room.  Advancing  instantly  to  the  chair  of 
Wellmere,  the  surgeon  instinctively  laid  hold  of  his  arm, 
and  exclaimed: 

"Bless  me! — a  quick  and  irregular  pulse — flushed  cheek 
and  fiery  eye — strong  febrile  symptoms,  and  such  as  must 
be  attended  to."  While  speaking,  the  doctor,  who  was 
much  addicted  to  practicing  in  a  summary  way — a  weak 
ness  of  most  medical  men  in  military  practica — had 
already  produced  his  lancet,  and  was  making  certain 
other  indications  of  his  intention  to  proceed  at  once  to 
business.  But  Colonel  Wellmere,  recovering  from  the 


THE  SPY  245 

confusion  of  the  surprise,  arose  from  his  seat  haughtily, 
and  said: 

"Sir,  it  is  the  warmth  of  the  room  that  lends  me  the 
color,  and  I  am  already  too  much  indebted  to  your  skill 
to  give  you  any  further  trouble;  Miss  Wharton  knows 
that  I  am  quite  well,  and  I  do  assure  you  that  I  never 
felt  better  or  happier  in  my  life." 

There  was  a  peculiar  emphasis  on  the  latter  part  of  this 
speech,  that,  however  it  might  gratify  the  feelings  of 
Sarah,  brought  the  color  to  her  cheeks  again;  and  Sit- 
greaves,  as  his  eye  followed  the  direction  of  those  of  his 
patient,  did  not  fail  to  observe  it. 

"Your  arm,  if  you  please,  madam,"  said  the  surgeon, 
advancing  with  a  bow;  "anxiety  and  watching  have  done 
their  work  on  your  delicate  frame,  and  there  are  symp 
toms  about  you  that  must  not  be  neglected." 

"Excuse  me,  sir,"  said  Sarah,  recovering  herself  with 
womanly  pride;  "the  heat  is  oppressive,  and  I  will  retire 
and  acquaint  Miss  Peyton  with  your  presence." 

There  was  but  little  difficulty  in  practicing  on  the  ab 
stracted  simplicity  of  the  surgeon;  but  it  was  necessary 
for  Sarah  to  raise  her  eyes  to  return  the  salutation  of 
Lawton,  as  he  bowed  his  head  nearly  to  a  level  with  the 
hand  that  held  open  the  door  for  her  passage.  One  look 
was  sufficient;  she  was  able  to  control  her  steps  sufficiently 
to  retire  with  dignity;  but  no  sooner  was  she  relieved 
from  the  presence  of  all  observers,  than  she  fell  into  a 
chair  and  abandoned  herself  to  a  feeling  of  mingled 
shame  and  pleasure. 

A  little  nettled  at  the  contumacious  deportment  of  the 
British  colonel,  Sitgreaves,  after  once  more  tendering 
services  that  were  again  rejected,  withdrew  to  the  cham 
ber  of  young  Singleton,  whither  Lawton  had  already 
preceded  him. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

"Oh!  Henry,  when  thou  deign'st  to  sue, 

Can  I  thy  suit  withstand? 
When  thou,  loved  youth,  hast  won  my  heart, 
Can  I  refuse  my  hand?" 

—HERMIT  OF  WARKWORTH. 

THE  graduate  of  Edinburgh  found  his  patient  rapidly 
improving  in  health,  and  entirely  free  from  fever.  His 
sister,  with  a  cheek  that  was,  if  possible,  paler  than  on 
her  arrival,  watched  around  his  couch  with  tender  care; 
and  the  ladies  of  the  cottage  had  not,  in  the  midst  of 
their  sorrows  and  varied  emotions,  forgotten  to  discharge 
the  duties  of  hospitality.  Frances  felt  herself  impelled 
towards  their  disconsolate  guests,  with  an  interest  for 
which  she  could  not  account,  and  with  a  force  that  she 
could  not  control.  She  had  unconsciously  connected  the 
fates  of  Dunwoodie  and  Isabella  in  her  imagination,  and 
she  felt,  with  the  romantic  ardor  of  a  generous  mind, 
that  she  was  serving  her  former  lover  most  by  exhibiting 
kindness  to  her  he  loved  best.  Isabella  received  her  at 
tentions  with  gratitude,  but  neither  of  them  indulged  in 
any  allusions  to  the  latent  source  of  their  uneasiness. 
The  observation  of  Miss  Peyton  seldom  penetrated  beyond 
things  that  were  visible,  and  to  her  the  situation  of 
Henry  Wharton  seemed  to  furnish  an  awful  excuse  for 
the  fading  cheeks  and  tearful  eyes  of  her  niece.  If  Sarah 
manifested  less  of  care  than  her  sister,  still  the  unprac- 
ticed  aunt  was  not  at  a  loss  to  comprehend  the  reason. 
Love  is  a  holy  feeling  with  the  virtuous  of  the  female 
sex,  and  it  hallows  all  that  come  within  its  influence. 
Although  Miss  Peyton  mourned  with  sincerity  over  the 
danger  which  threatened  her  nephew,  she  well  knew  that 
an  active  campaign  was  not  favorable  to  love,  and  the 
moments  that  were  thus  accidentally  granted  were  not  to 
be  thrown  away. 

246 


THE  SPY  247 

Several  days  now  passed  without  any  interruption  of 
the  usual  avocations  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  cottage,  or 
the  party  at  the  Four  Corners.  The  former  were  sup 
porting  their  fortitude  with  the  certainty  of  Henry's 
innocence,  and  a  strong  reliance  on  Dunwoodie's  exertions 
in  his  behalf,  and  the  latter  waiting  with  impatience  the 
intelligence,  that  was  hourly  expected,  of  a  conflict,  and 
their  orders  to  depart.  Captain  Lawton,  however, 
waited  for  both  these  events  in  vain.  Letters  from  the 
major  announced  that  the  enemy,  finding  that  the  party 
which  was  to  co-operate  with  them  had  been  defeated, 
and  was  withdrawn,  had  retired  also  behind  the  works  of 
Fort  Washington,  where  they  continued  inactive,  threat 
ening  constantly  to  strike  a  blow  in  revenge  for  their 
disgrace.  The  trooper  was  enjoined  to  vigilance,  and 
the  letter  concluded  with  a  compliment  to  his  honor,  zeal, 
and  undoubted  bravery. 

"Extremely  flattering,  Major  Dunwoodie, "  muttered 
the  dragoon,  as  he  threw  down  this  epistle,  and  stalked 
across  the  floor  to  quiet  his  impatience.  "A  proper 
guard  have  you  selected  for  this  service:  let  me  see — I 
have  to  watch  over  the  interests  of  a  crazy,  irresolute  old 
man,  who  does  not  know  whether  he  belongs  to  us  or  to 
the  enemy;  four  women,  three  of  whom  are  well  enough 
in  themselves,  but  who  are  not  immensely  flattered  by 
my  society;  and  the  fourth,  who,  good  as  she  is,  is  on 
the  wrong  side  of  forty;  some  two  or  three  blacks;  a 
talkative  housekeeper,  that  does  nothing  but  chatter  about 
gold  and  despisables,  and  signs  and  omens;  and  poor 
George  Singleton.  Well,  a  comrade  in  suffering  has  a 
claim  on  a  man — so  I'll  make  the  best  of  it." 

As  he  concluded  this  soliloquy,  the  trooper  took  a  seat 
and  began  to  whistle,  to  convince  himself  how  little  he 
cared  about  the  matter,  when,  by  throwing  his  booted 
leg  carelessly  round,  he  upset  the  canteen  that  held  his 
whole  stock  of  brandy.  The  accident  was  soon  repaired, 
but  in  replacing  the  wooden  vessel,  he  observed  a  billet 
lying  on  the  bench,  on  which  the  liquor  had  been  placed. 
It  was  soon  opened,  and  he  read:  "The  moon  will  not  rise 
till  after  midnight— a  fit  time  for  deeds  of  darkness. ' 
There  was  no  mistaking  the  hand;  it  was  clearly  the  same 


248  THE   SPY 

that  had  given  him  the  timely  warning  against  assassina 
tion,  and  the  trooper  continued,  for  a  long  time,  musing 
on  the  nature  of  these  two  notices,  and  the  motives  that 
could  induce  the  peddler  to  favor  an  implacable  enemy  in 
the  manner  that  he  had  latterly  done.  That  he  was  a  spy 
of  the  enemy,  Lawton  knew;  for  the  fact  of  his  convey 
ing  intelligence  to  the  English  commander-in-chief,  of  a 
party  of  Americans  that  were  exposed  to  the  enemy,  was 
proved  most  clearly  against  him  on  the  trial  for  his  life. 
The  consequences  of  his  treason  had  been  avoided,  it  is 
true,  by  a  lucky  order  from  Washington,  which  withdrew 
the  regiment  a  short  time  before  the  British  appeared  to 
cut  it  off,  but  still  the  crime  was  the  same.  "Perhaps," 
thought  the  partisan,  "he  wishes  to  make  a  friend  of  me 
against  the  event  of  another  capture;  but,  at  all  events, 
he  spared  my  life  on  one  occasion,  and  saved  it  on 
another.  I  will  endeavor  to  be  as  generous  as  himself, 
and  pray  that  my  duty  may  never  interfere  with  my 
feelings." 

Whether  the  danger,  intimated  in  the  present  note, 
threatened  the  cottage  or  his  own  party,  the  captain  was 
uncertain,  but  he  inclined  to  the  latter  opinion,  and  deter 
mined  to  beware  how  he  rode  abroad  in  the  dark.  To  a 
man  in  a  peaceable  country,  and  in  times  of  quiet  and 
order,  the  indifference  with  which  the  partisan  regarded 
the  impending  danger  would  be  inconceivable.  His 
reflections  on  the  subject  were,  more  directed  towards 
devising  means  to  entrap  his  enemies,  than  to  escape 
their  machinations.  But  the  arrival  of  the  surgeon,  who 
had  been  to  pay  his  daily  visit  to  the  Locusts,  interrupted 
his  meditations.  Sitgreaves  brought  an  invitation  from 
the  mistress  of  the  mansion  to  Captain  Lawton,  desiring 
that  the  cottage  might  be  honored  with  his  presence  at  an 
early  hour  on  that  evening. 

"Ha!"  cried  the  trooper;  "then  they  have  received  a 
letter  also." 

"I  think  nothing  more  probable,"  said  the  surgeon; 
"there  is  a  chaplain  at  the  cottage  from  the  royal  army, 
who  has  come  out  to  exchange  the  British  wounded,  and 
who  has  an  order  from  Colonel  Singleton  for  their  deliv- 


THE  SPY  249 

ery.     But  a  more  mad  project  than  to  remove  them  now 
was  never  adopted." 

"A  priest,  say  you!— is  he  a  hard  drinker— a  real 
camp-idler— a  fellow  to  breed  a  famine  in  a  regiment?  or 
does  he  seem  a  man  who  is  in  earnest  in  his  trade?" 

"A  very  respectable  and  orderly  gentleman,  and  not 
unreasonably  given  to  intemperance,  judging  from  the 
outward  symptoms,"  returned  the  surgeon;  "and  a  man 
who  really  says  grace  in  a  very  regular  and  appropriate 
manner. ' ' 

"And  does  he  stay  the  night?" 

"Certainly,  he  waits  for  his  cartel;  but  hasten,  John, 
we  have  but  little  time  to  waste.  I  will  just  step  up  and 
bleed  two  or  three  of  the  Englishmen  who  are  to  move  in 
the  morning,  in  order  to  anticipate  inflammation,  and  be 
with  you  immediately." 

The  gala  suit  of  Captain  Lawton  was  easily  adjusted  to 
his  huge  frame,  and  his  companion  being  ready,  they 
once  more  took  their  route  towards  the  cottage.  Roanoke 
had  been  as  much  benefited  by  a  few  days'  rest  as  his 
master;  and  Lawton  ardently  wished,  as  he  curbed  his 
gallant  steed,  on  passing  the  well-remembered  rocks,  that 
his  treacherous  enemy  stood  before  him,  mounted  and 
armed  as  himself.  But  no  enemy,  nor  any  disturbance 
whatever,  interfered  with  their  progress,  and  they 
reached  the  Locusts  just  as  the  sun  was  throwing  his  set 
ting  rays  on  the  valley,  and  tinge  ing  the  tops  of  the  leafless 
trees  with  gold.  It  never  required  more  than  a  single 
look  to  acquaint  the  trooper  with  the  particulars  of  every 
scene  that  was  not  uncommonly  veiled,  and  the  first  sur 
vey  that  he  took  on  entering  the  house  told  him  more 
than  the  observations  of  a  day  had  put  into  the  posses 
sion  of  Dr.  Sitgreaves.  Miss  Peyton  accosted  him  with  a 
smiling  welcome,  that  exceeded  the  bounds  of  ordinary 
courtesy,  and  which  evidently  flowed  more  from  feelings 
that  were  connected  with  the  heart  than  from  manner. 
Frances  glided  about,  tearful  and  agitated,  while  Mr. 
Wharton  stood  ready  to  receive  them,  decked  in  a  suit  of 
velvet  that  would  have  been  conspicuous  in  the  gayest 
drawing-room.  Colonel  Wellmere  was  in  the  uniform  of 
an  officer  of  the  household  troops  of  his  prince,  and  Isa- 


250  THE   SPY 

bella  Singleton  sat  in  the  parlor,  clad  in  the  habiliments 
of  joy,  but  with  a  countenance  that  belied  her  appear 
ance;  while  her  brother  by  her  side  looked,  with  a  cheek 
of  flitting  color,  and  an  eye  of  intense  interest,  like  any 
thing  but  an  invalid.  As  it  was  t'.ie  third  day  that  he 
had  left  his  room,  Dr.  Sitgreaves,  who  began  to  stare 
about  him  in  stupid  wonder,  forgot  to  reprove  his  patient 
for  imprudence.  Into  this  scene  Captain  Lawton  moved 
with  all  the  composure  and  gravity  of  a  man  whose  nerves 
were  not  easily  discomposed  by  novelties.  His  compli 
ments  were  received  as  graciously  as  they  were  offered, 
and  after  exchanging  a  few  words  with  the  different  indi 
viduals  present,  he  approached  the  surgeon,  who  had 
withdrawn,  in  a  kind  of  confused  astonishment,  to  rally 
his  senses. 

"John,"  whispered  the  surgeon,  with  awakened  cu 
riosity,  "what  means  this  festival?" 

"That  your  wig  and  my  black  head  would  look  the  bet 
ter  for  a  little  of  Betty  Flanagan's  flour;  but  it  is  too 
late  now,  and  we  must  fight  the  battle  armed  as  you  see." 

"Observe,  here  comes  the  army  chaplain  in  his  full 
robes,  as  a  Doctor  Divinitatis;  what  can  it  mean?" 

"An  exchange,"  said  the  trooper;  "the  wounded  of 
Cupid  are  to  meet  and  settle  their  accounts  with  the  god, 
in  the  way  of  plighting  faith  to  suffer  from  his  archery 
no  more." 

The  surgeon  laid  a  finger  on  the  side  of  his  nose,  and 
he  began  to  comprehend  the  case. 

"Is  it  not  a  crying  shame,  that  a  sunshine-hero,  and  an 
enemy,  should  thus  be  suffered  to  steal  away  one  of  the 
fairest  plants  that  grows  in  our  soil,"  muttered  Lawton; 
"a  flower  fit  to  be  placed  in  the  bosom  of  any  man!" 

"If  he  be  not  more  accommodating  as  a  husband  than 
as  a  patient,  John,  I  fear  me  that  the  lady  will  lead  a 
troubled  life." 

"Let  her,"  said  the  trooper,  indignantly;  "she  has 
chosen  from  her  country's  enemies,  and  may  she  meet 
with  a  foreigner's  virtues  in  her  choice." 

Further  conversation  was  interrupted  by  Miss  Peyton, 
who,  advancing,  acquainted  them  that  they  had  been 
invited  to  grace  the  nuptials  of  her  eldest  niece  and  Colo- 


THE  SPY  251 

nel  Wellmere.  The  gentlemen  bowed;  and  the  good 
aunt,  with  an  inherent  love  of  propriety,  went  on  to  add, 
that  the  acquaintance  was  of  an  old  date,  and  the  attach 
ment  by  no  means  a  sudden  thing.  To  this  Lawton 
merely  bowed  still  more  ceremoniously;  but  the  surgeon, 
who  loved  to  hold  converse  with  the  virgin,  replied: 

"That  the  human  mind  was  differently  constituted  in 
different  individuals.  In  some,  impressions  are  vivid 
and  transitory;  in  others,  more  deep  and  lasting:  indeed, 
there  are  some  philosophers  who  pretend  to  trace  a  con 
nection  between  the  physical  and  mental  powers  of  the 
animal;  but,  for  my  part,  madam,  I  believe  that  the  one 
is  much  influenced  by  habit  and  association,  and  the 
others  subject  altogether  to  the  peculiar  laws  of  matter." 

Miss  Peyton,  in  her  turn,  bowed  her  silent  assent  to 
this  remark,  and  retired  with  dignity,  to  usher  the 
intended  bride  into  the  presence  of  the  company.  The 
hour  had  arrived  when  American  custom  has  decreed  that 
the  vows  of  wedlock  must  be  exchanged;  and  Sarah, 
blushing  with  a  variety  of  emotions,  followed  her  aunt  to 
the  drawing-room.  Wellmere  sprang  to  receive  the  hand 
that,  with  an  averted  face,  she  extended  towards  him, 
and,  for  the  first  time,  the  English  colonel  appeared  fully 
conscious  of  the  important  part  that  he  was  to  act  in  the 
approaching  ceremony.  Hitherto  his  air  had  been  ab 
stracted,  and  his  manner  uneasy;  but  everything,  except 
ing  the  certainty  of  his  bliss,  seemed  to  vanish  at  the 
blaze  of  loveliness  that  now  burst  on  his  sight.  All  arose 
from  their  seats,  and  the  reverend  gentleman  had  already 
opened  the  sacred  volume,  when  the  absence  of  Frances 
was  noticed:  Miss  Peyton  withdrew  in  search  of  her 
youngest  niece,  whom  she  found  in  her  own  apartment, 
and  in  tears. 

"Come,  my  love,  the  ceremony  waits  but  for  us,"  said 
the  aunt,  affectionately  entwining  her  arm  in  that  of  her 
niece;  "endeavor  to  compose  yourself,  that  proper  honor 
may  be  done  to  the  choice  of  your  sister." 

"Is  he — can  he  be,  worthy  of  her?" 

"Can  he  be  otherwise!"  returned  Miss  Peyton; 
not  a  gentleman?— a  gallant  soldier,  though  an  unfor- 


252  THE  SPY 

tunate  one?  and  certainly,  my  love,  one  who  appears 
every  way  qualified  to  make  any  woman  happy." 

Frances  had  given  vent  to  her  feelings,  and,  with  an 
effort  she  collected  sufficient  resolution  to  venture  to  join 
the  party  below.  But  to  relieve  the  embarrassment  of 
this  delay,  the  clergyman  had  put  sundry  questions  to  the 
bridegroom;  one  of  which  was  by  no  means  answered  to 
his  satisfaction.  Wellmere  was  compelled  to  acknowl 
edge  that  he  was  unprovided  with  a  ring;  and  to  perform 
the  marriage  ceremony  without  one,  the  divine  pro 
nounced  to  be  canonically  impossible.  His  appeal  to  Mr. 
Wharton,  for  the  propriety  of  this  decision,  was  answered 
affirmatively,  as  it  would  have  been  negatively,  had  the 
question  been  put  in  a  manner  to  lead  to  such  a  result. 
The  owner  of  the  Locusts  had  lost  the  little  energy  he 
possessed,  by  the  blow  recently  received  through  his  son, 
and  his  assent  to  the  objection  of  the  clergyman  was  as 
easily  obtained  as  had  been  his  consent  to  the  premature 
proposals  of  Wellmere.  In  this  state  of  the  dilemma, 
Miss  Peyton  and  Frances  appeared.  The  surgeon  of 
dragoons  approached  the  former,  and  as  he  handed  her 
to  a  chair,  observed: 

"It  appears,  madam,  that  untoward  circumstances  have 
prevented  Colonel  Wellmere  from  providing  all  of  the 
decorations  that  custom,  antiquity,  and  the  canons  of  the 
church  have  prescribed  as  indispensable  to  enter  into  the 
honorable  state  of  wedlock. ' ' 

Miss  Peyton  glanced  her  quiet  eye  at  the  uneasy  bride 
groom,  and  perceiving  him  to  be  adorned  with  what  she 
thought  sufficient  splendor,  allowing  for  the  time  and  the 
suddenness  of  the  occasion,  she  turned  her  look  on  the 
speaker,  as  if  to  demand  an  explanation. 

The  surgeon  understood  her  wishes,  and  proceeded  at 
once  to  gratify  them. 

"There  is,"  he  observed,  "an  opinion  prevalent,  that 
the  heart  lies  on  the  left  side  of  the  body,  and  that  the 
connection  between  the  members  of  that  side  and  what 
may  be  called  the  seat  of  life,  is  more  intimate  than  that 
which  exists  with  their  opposites.  But  this  is  an  error 
that  grows  out  of  an  ignorance  of  the  organic  arrange 
ment  of  the  human  frame.  In  obedience  to  this  opinion, 


THE  SPY  253 

the  fourth  finger  of  the  left  hand  is  thought  to  contain  a 
virtue  that  belongs  to  no  other  branch  of  that  digitated 
member;  and  it  is  ordinarily  encircled,  during  the  sol 
emnization  of  wedlock,  with  a  cincture  or  ring,  as  if  to 
chain  that  affection  to  the  marriage  state,  which  is  best 
secured  by  the  graces  of  the  female  character."  While 
speaking,  the  operator  laid  his  hand  expressively  on  his 
heart,  and  he  bowed  nearly  to  the  floor  when  he  had  con 
cluded. 

"I  know  not,  sir,  that  I  rightly  understand  your  mean 
ing,"  said  Miss  Peyton,  whose  want  of  comprehension 
was  sufficiently  excusable. 

"A  ring,  madam — a  ring  is  wanting  for  the  ceremony. " 
The  instant  that  the  surgeon  spoke  explicitly,  the  awk 
wardness  of  the  situation  was  understood.  She  glanced 
her  eyes  at  her  nieces,  and  in  the  younger  she  read  a 
secret  exultation  that  somewhat  displeased  her;  but  the 
countenance  of  Sarah  was  suffused  with  a  shame  that  the 
considerate  aunt  well  understood.  Not  for  the  world 
would  she  violate  any  of  the  observances  of  female  eti 
quette.  It  suggested  itself  to  all  the  females,  at  the 
same  moment,  that  the  wedding-ring  of  the  late  mother 
and  sister  was  reposing  peacefully  amid  the  rest  of  her 
jewelry,  in  a  secret  receptacle,  that  had  been  provided  at 
an  early  day,  to  secure  the  valuables  against  the  preda 
tory  inroads  of  the  marauders  who  roamed  through  the 
county.  Into  this  hidden  vault,  the  plate,  and  whatever 
was  most  prized,  made  a  nightly  retreat,  and  there  the 
ring  in  question  had  long  lain,  forgotten  until  at  this 
moment.  But  it  was  the  business  of  the  bridegroom, 
from  time  immemorial,  to  furnish  this  indispensable  to 
wedlock,  and  on  no  account  would  Miss  Peyton  do  any 
thing  that  transcended  the  usual  reserve  of  the  sex  on 
this  solemn  occasion;  certainly  not  until  sufficient  expia 
tion  for  the  offence  had  been  made,  by  a  due  portion  of 
trouble  and  disquiet.  This  material  fact,  therefore,  was 
not  disclosed  by  either;  the  aunt  consulting  female  pro 
priety;  the  bride  yielding  to  shame;  and  Frances  rejoic 
ing  that  an  embarrassment,  proceeding  from  almost  any 
cause,  should  delay  her  sister's  vow.  It  was  reserved  for 
Dr.  Sitgreaves  to  interrupt  the  awkward  silence. 


254  THE  SPY 

"If,  madam,  a  plain  ring,  that  once  belonged  to  a  sis 
ter  of  my  own."  He  paused,  and  hemmed — "if,  madam, 
a  ring  of  that  description  might  be  admitted  to  this 
honor,  I  have  one  that  could  be  easily  produced  from  my 
quarters  at  the  Corners,  and  I  doubt  not  it  would  fit  the 
finger  for  which  it  is  desired.  There  is  a  strong  resem 
blance  between — hem — between  my  late  sister  and  Miss 
Wharton,  in  stature  and  anatomical  figure:  and,  in  all 
eligible  subjects,  the  proportions  are  apt  to  be  observed 
throughout  the  whole  animal  economy." 

A  glance  of  Miss  Peyton's  eye  recalled  Colonel  Well- 
mere  to  a  sense  of  his  duty,  and  springing  from  his 
chair,  he  assured  the  surgeon,  that  in  no  way  could  he 
confer  a  greater  obligation  on  himself  than  by  sending 
for  that  very  ring.  The  operator  bowed  a  little  haught 
ily,  and  withdrew  to  fulfil  his  promise,  by  despatching  a 
messenger  on  the  errand.  The  aunt  suffered  him  to 
retire;  but  unwillingness  to  admit  a  stranger  into  the 
privacy  of  their  domestic  arrangements,  induced  her  to 
follow  and  tender  the  services  of  Caesar,  instead  of  those 
of  Sitgreaves'  man,  who  had  volunteered  for  this  duty. 
Katy  Haynes  was  accordingly  directed  to  summon  the 
black  to  the  vacant  parlor,  and  thither  Miss  Peyton  and 
the  surgeon  repaired,  to  give  their  several  instructions. 

The  consent  to  this  sudden  union  of  Sarah  and  Well- 
mere,  and  especially  at  a  time  when  the  life  of  a  member 
of  the  family  was  in  such  imminent  jeopardy,  was  given 
from  a  conviction  that  the  unsettled  state  of  the  country 
would  probably  prevent  another  opportunity  to  the  lovers 
of  meeting,  and  a  secret  dread  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Whar 
ton  that  the  death  of  his  son  might,  by  hastening  his 
own,  leave  his  remaining  children  without  a  protector. 
But  notwithstanding  Miss  Peyton  had  complied  with  her 
brother's  wish  to  profit  by  the  accidental  visit  of  a  divine, 
she  had  not  thought  it  necessary  to  blazon  the  intended 
nuptials  of  her  niece  to  the  neighborhood,  had  even  time 
been  allowed:  she  thought,  therefore,  that  she  was  now 
communicating  a  profound  secret  to  the  negro  and  her 
housekeeper. 

"Caesar,"  she  commenced,  with  a  smile,  "you  are  now 
to  learn  that  your  young  mistress,  Miss  Sarah,  is  to  be 
united  to  Colonel  Wellmere  this  evening." 


THE  SPY  255 

"I  t'ink  I  see  him  afore,"  said  Caesar,  chuckling;  "old 
black  man  can  tell  when  a  young  lady  make  up  he  mind." 

"Really,  Caesar,  I  find  I  have  never  given  you  credit 
for  half  the  observation  that  you  deserve;  but  as  you 
already  know  on  what  emergency  your  services  are 
required,  listen  to  the  directions  of  this  gentleman,  and 
take  care  to  observe  them  strictly." 

The  black  turned  in  quiet  submission  to  the  surgeon, 
who  commenced  as  follows: 

"Caesar,  your  mistress  has  already  acquainted  you  with 
the  important  event  about  to  be  solemnized  within  this 
habitation;  but  a  cincture  or  ring  is  wanting  to  encircle 
the  finger  of  the  bride;  a  custom  derived  from  the  an 
cients,  and  which  has  been  continued  in  the  marriage 
forms  of  several  branches  of  the  Christian  Church,  and 
which  is  even,  by  a  species  of  typical  wedlock,  used  in 
the  installation  of  prelates,  as  you  doubtless  understand." 

"Pr'aps  Massa  Doctor  will  say  him  over  ag'in,"  inter 
rupted  the  old  negro,  whose  memory  began  to  fail  him, 
just  as  the  other  made  so  confident  an  allusion  to  his 
powers  of  comprehension;  "I  t'ink  I  get  him  by  heart  dis 
time." 

"It  is  impossible  to  gather  honey  from  a  rock,  Caesar, 
and  therefore  I  will  abridge  the  little  I  have  to  say. 
Ride  to  the  Four  Corners,  and  present  this  note  to  Ser 
geant  Hollister,  or  to  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Flanagan,  either  of 
whom  will  furnish  the  necessary  pledge  of  connubial  affec 
tion;  and  return  forthwith." 

The  letter  which  the  surgeon  put  into  the  hands  of  his 
messenger,  as  he  ceased,  was  conceived  in  the  following 
terms: 

"If  the  fever  has  left  Kinder,  give  him  nourishment. 
Take  three  ounces  more  of  blood  from  Watson.  Have  a 
search  made  that  the  woman  Flanagan  has  left  none  of 
her  jugs  of  alcohol  in  the  hospital.  Renew  the  dressings 
of  Johnson,  and  dismiss  Smith  to  duty.  Send  the  ring, 
which  is  pendent  from  the  chain  of  the  watch  that  I  left 
with  you  to  time  the  doses,  by  the  bearer. 

"ARCHIBALD  SITGREAVES,  M.D., 
"Surgeon  of  Dragoons." 


256  THE   SPY 

"Csenar, "  said  Katy,  when  she  was  alone  with  the 
black,  "put  the  ring,  when  you  get  it,  in  your  left  pocket, 
for  that  is  nearest  your  heart;  and  by  no  means  endeavor 
to  try  it  on  your  finger,  for  it  is  unlucky." 

"Try  urn  on  he  finger?"  interrupted  the  negro,  stretch 
ing  forth  his  bony  knuckles;  "t'ink  a  Miss  Sally's  ring  go 
on  old  Caesar  finger?" 

"'Tis  not  consequential  whether  it  goes  on  or  not," 
said  the  housekeeper;  "but  it  is  an  evil  omen  to  place  a 
marriage-ring  on  the  finger  of  another  after  wedlock, 
and  of  course  it  may  be  dangerous  before." 

"I  tell  you,  Katy,  I  neber t'ink  to  put  um  on  a  finger." 

"Go  then,  Caesar,  and  do  not  forget  the  left  pocket;  be 
careful  to  take  off  your  hat  as  you  pass  the  graveyard, 
and  be  expeditious;  for  nothing,  I  am  certain,  can  be 
more  trying  to  the  patience  than  thus  to  be  waiting  for 
the  ceremony,  when  a  body  has  fully  made  up  her  mind 
to  marry." 

With  this  injunction  Caesar  quitted  the  house,  and  he 
was  soon  firmly  fixed  in  the  saddle.  From  his  youth,  the 
black,  like  all  of  his  race,  had  been  a  hard  rider;  but, 
bending  under  the  weight  of  sixty  winters,  his  African 
blood  had  lost  some  of  its  native  heat.  The  night  was 
dark,  and  the  wind  whistled  through  the  vale  with  the 
dreariness  of  November.  When  Caesar  reached  the  grave 
yard,  he  uncovered  his  grizzled  head  with  superstitious 
awe,  and  threw  around  him  many  a  fearful  glance,  in 
momentary  expectation  of  seeing  something  superhuman. 
There  was  sufficient  light  to  discern  a  being  of  earthly 
mould  stealing  from  among  the  graves,  apparently  with 
a  design  to  enter  the  highway.  It  is  in  vain  that  phil 
osophy  and  reason  contend  with  early  impressions,  and 
poor  Caesar  was  even  without  the  support  of  either  of 
these  frail  allies.  He  was,  however,  well  mounted  on  a 
coach-horse  of  Mr.  Wharton's,  and,  clinging  to  the  back 
of  the  animal  with  instinctive  skill,  he  abandoned  the 
rein  to  the  beast.  Hillocks,  woods,  rocks,  fences,  and 
houses  flew  by  him  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning,  and 
the  black  had  just  begun  to  think  whither  and  on  what 
business  he  was  riding  in  this  headlong  manner,  when  he 
reached  the  place  where  the  roads  met,  and  the  "Hotel 


THE  SPY  257 

Flanagan"  stood  before  him  in  its  dilapidated  simplicity. 
The  sight  of  a  cheerful  fire  first  told  the  negro  that  he 
had  reached  the  habitation  of  man,  and  with  it  came  all 
his  dread  of  the  bloody  Virginians;  his  duty  must,  how 
ever,  be  done,  and,  dismounting,  he  fastened  the  foaming 
animal  to  a  fence,  and  approached  the  window  with  cau 
tious  steps,  to  reconnoitre. 

Before  a  blazing  fire  sat  Sergeant  Hollister  and  Betty 
Flanagan,  enjoying  themselves  over  a  liberal  potation. 

"I  tell  ye,  sargeant  dear,"  said  Betty,  removing  the 
mug  from  her  mouth,  "'tis  no  r'asonable  to  think  it  was 
more  than  the  piddler  himself;  sure  now,  where  was  the 
smell  of  sulphur,  and  the  wings,  and  the  tail  and  the 
cloven  foot? — besides,  sargeant,  it's  no  dacent  to  tell  a 
lone  famale  that  she  had  Beelzeboob  for  a  bedfellow." 

"It  matters  but  little,  Mrs.  Flanagan,  provided  you 
escape  his  talons  and  fangs  hereafter,"  returned  the  vet 
eran,  following  the  remark  by  a  heavy  draught. 

Caesar  heard  enough  to  convince  him  that  little  danger 
from  this  pair  was  to  be  apprehended.  His  teeth  already 
began  to  chatter,  and  the  cold  without  and  the  comfort 
within  stimulated  him  greatly  to  enter.  He  made  his 
approaches  with  proper  caution,  and  knocked  with  ex 
treme  humility.  The  appearance  of  Hollister  with  a 
drawn  sword,  roughly  demanding  who  was  without,  con 
tributed  in  no  degree  to  the  restoration  of  his  faculties; 
but  fear  itself  lent  him  power  to  explain  his  errand. 

"Advance, "  said  the  sergeant,  throwing  a  look  of  close 
scrutiny  on  the  black,  as  he  brought  him  to  the  light; 
"advance,  and  deliver  your  despatches:  have  you  the 
countersign?" 

"I  don't  t' ink  he  know  what  dat  be,"  said  the  black, 
shaking  in  his  shoes,  "dough  massa  dat  sent  me  gib  me 
many  t'ings  to  carry,  dat  he  little  understand." 

"Who  ordered  you  on  this  duty,  did  you  say?" 

"Well,  it  war  he  doctor,  heself,  so  he  come  up  on  a 
gallop,  as  he  alway  do  on  a  doctor's  errand." 

"'Twas  Doctor  Sitgreaves;  he  never  knows  the  coun 
tersign  himself.  Now,  blackey,  had  it  been  Captain 
Lawton,  he  would  not  have  sent  you  here,  close  to  a  sen 
tinel,  without  the  countersign;  for  you  might  get  a  pistol 

17 


258  THE   SPY 

bullet  through  your  head,  and  that  would  be  cruel  to 
you;  for  although  you  be  black,  I  am  none  of  them  who 
thinks  niggers  have  no  souls. ' ' 

"Sure  a  nagur  has  as  much  sowl  as  a  white,"  said 
Betty;  "come  hither,  ould  man,  and  warm  that  shivering 
carcass  of  yeers  by  the  blaze  of  this  fire.  I'm  sure  a 
Guinea  nagur  loves  hate  as  much  as  a  souldier  loves  his 
drop." 

Caesar  obeyed  in  silence,  and  a  mulatto  boy,  who  was 
sleeping  on  a  bench  in  the  room,  was  bidden  to  convey 
the  note  of  the  surgeon  to  the  building  where  the 
wounded  were  quartered. 

"Here,"  said  the  washerwoman,  tendering  to  Caesar  a 
taste  of  the  article  that  most  delighted  herself,  "try  a 
drop,  smooty,  'twill  warm  the  black  sowl  within  your 
crazy  body,  and  be  giving  you  spirits  as  you  are  going 
homeward." 

"I  tell  you,  Elizabeth,"  said  the  sergeant,  "that  the 
souls  of  niggers  are  the  same  as  our  own;  how  often  have 
I  heard  the  good  Mr.  Whitfield  say  that  there  was  no  dis 
tinction  of  color  in  heaven.  Therefore  it  is  reasonable  to 
believe  that  the  soul  of  this  here  black  is  as  white  as  my 
own,  or  even  Major  Dunwoodie's. " 

"Be  sure  he  be,"  cried  Caesar,  a  little  tartly,  whose 
courage  had  revived  by  tasting  the  drop  of  Mrs.  Flan 
agan. 

"It's  a  good  sowl  that  the  major  is,  any  way,"  re 
turned  the  washerwoman;  "and  a  kind  sowl — aye,  and  a 
brave  sowl  too;  and  ye' II  say  all  that  yeerself,  sargeant, 
I'm  thinking." 

"For  the  matter  of  that,"  returned  the  veteran,  "there 
is  one  above  even  Washington,  to  judge  of  souls;  but  this 
I  will  say,  that  Major  Dunwoodie  is  a  gentleman  who 
never  says,  Go,  boys — but  always  says,  Come,  boys;  and 
if  a  poor  fellow  is  in  want  of  a  spur  or  a  martingale,  and 
the  leather-whack  is  gone,  there  is  never  wanting  the 
real  silver  to  make  up  the  loss,  and  that  from  his  own 
pocket  too." 

"Why,  then,  are  you  here  idle  when  all  that  he  holds 
most  dear  are  in  danger?"  cried  a  voice  with  startling 
abruptness;  "mount,  mount,  and  follow  your  captain; 


THE  SPY  259 

arm  and  mount,  and  that  instantly,  or  you  will  be  too 
late!" 

This  unexpected  interruption  produced  an  instantaneous 
confusion  amongst  the  tipplers.  Caesar  fled  instinctively 
into  the  fireplace,  where  he  maintained  his  position  in 
defiance  of  a  heat  that  would  have  roasted  a  white  man. 
Sergeant  Hollister  turned  promptly  on  his  heel,  and  seiz 
ing  his  sabre,  the  steel  was  glittering  by  the  firelight,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye;  but  perceiving  the  intruder  to 
be  the  peddler,  who  stood  near  the  open  door  that  led 
to  the  lean-to  in  the  rear,  he  began  to  fall  back  towards 
the  position  of  the  black,  with  a  military  intuition  that 
taught  him  to  concentrate  his  forces.  Betty  alone  stood 
her  ground,  by  the  side  of  the  temporary  table.  Replen 
ishing  the  mug  with  a  large  addition  of  the  article  known 
to  the  soldiery  by  the  name  of  "choke-dog,"  she  held  it 
towards  the  peddler.  The  eyes  of  the  washerwoman  had 
for  some  time  been  swimming  with  love  and  liquor,  and 
turning  them  good-naturedly  on  Birch,  she  cried: 

"Faith,  but  ye' re  wilcome,  Mister  Fiddler,  or  Mister 
Birch,  or  Mister  Beelzeboob,  or  what's  yeer  name.  Ye're 
an  honest  divil  any  way,  and  I'm  hoping  that  you  found 
the  pitticoats  convanient.  Come  forward,  dear,  and  fale 
the  fire;  Sargeant  Hollister  won't  be  hurting  you,  for  the 
fear  of  an  ill  turn  you  may  be  doing  him  hereafter — will 
ye,  sargeant  dear?" 

"Depart,  ungodly  man!"  cried  the  veteran,  edging 
still  nearer  to  Caesar,  but  lifting  his  legs  alternately  as 
they  scorched  with  the  heat,  "depart  in  peace!  There  is 
none  here  for  thy  service,  and  you  seek  the  woman  in 
vain.  There  is  a  tender  mercy  that  will  save  her  from 
thy  talons."  The  sergeant  ceased  to  utter  aloud,  but  the 
motion  of  his  lips  continued,  and  a  few  scattering  words 
of  prayer  were  alone  audible. 

The  brain  of  the  washerwoman  was  in  such  a  state  of 
confusion  that  she  did  not  clearly  comprehend  the  mean 
ing  of  her  suitor,  but  a  new  idea  struck  her  imagination 
and  she  broke  forth: 

"If  it's  me  the  man  saaks,  where's  the  matter,  pray.' 
am  I  not  a  widowed  body,  and  my  own  property?  And 
you  talk  of  tinderness,  sargeant;  but  it's  little  I  see  of  it, 


260  THE   SPY 

any  way:  who  knows  but  Mr.  Beelzeboob  here  is  free  to 
speak  his  mind?  I'm  sure  it  is  willing  to  hear  I  am." 

"Woman,"  said  the  peddler,  "be  silent;  and  you,  fool 
ish  man,  mount — arm  and  mount,  and  fly  to  the  rescue  of 
your  officer,  if  you  are  worthy  of  the  cause  in  which  you 
serve,  and  would  not  disgrace  the  coat  you  wear. ' '  The 
peddler  vanished  from  the  sight  of  the  bewildered  trio, 
with  a  rapidity  that  left  them  uncertain  whither  he  had 
fled. 

On  hearing  the  voice  of  an  old  friend,  Caesar  emerged 
from  his  corner,  and  fearlessly  advanced  to  the  spot 
where  Betty  had  resolutely  maintained  her  ground,  though 
in  a  state  of  utter  mental  confusion. 

"I  wish  Harvey  stop,"  said  the  black;  "if  he  ride 
down  a  road,  I  should  like  he  company;  I  don't  t'ink 
Johnny  Birch  hurt  he  own  son." 

"Poor  ignorant  wretch!"  exclaimed  the  veteran,  re 
covering  his  voice  with  a  long-drawn  breath;  "think  you 
that  figure  was  made  of  flesh  and  blood?" 

"Harvey  ain't  fleshy,"  replied  the  black,  "but  he 
berry  clebber  man." 

"Pooh!  sargeant  dear,"  exclaimed  the  washerwoman, 
"talk  r'ason  for  once,  and  mind  what  the  knowing  one 
tells  ye;  call  out  the  boys,  and  ride  a  bit  after  Captain 
Jack;  rimimber,  darling,  that  he  told  ye,  the  day,  to  be  in 
readiness  to  mount  at  a  moment's  warning." 

"Aye,  but  not  at  a  summons  from  a  foul  fiend.  Let 
Captain  Lawton,  or  Lieutenant  Mason,  or  Cornet  Skip- 
with,  say  the  word,  and  who  is  quicker  in  the  saddle 
than  I?" 

"Well,  sargeant,  how  often  is  it  that  ye've  boasted  to 
myself  that  the  corps  wasn't  a  bit  afeard  to  face  the 
divil?" 

"No  more  are  we,  in  battle  array,  and  by  daylight; 
but  it's  foolhardy  and  irreverent  to  tempt  Satan,  and  on 
such  a  night  as  this:  listen  how  the  wind  whistles  through 
the  trees;  and  hark!  there  is  the  howling  of  evil  spirits 
abroad." 

"I  see  him,"  said  Caesar,  opening  his  eyes  to  a  width 
that  might  have  embraced  more  than  an  ideal  form. 


THE  SPY  261 

"Where?"  interrupted  the  sergeant,  instinctively  lay 
ing  his  hand  on  the  hilt  of  his  sabre. 

"No,  no,"  said  the  black,  "I  see  a  Johnny  Birch  come 
out  of  he  grave — Johnny  walked  afore  he  buried." 

"Ah!  then  he  must  have  led  an  evil  life  indeed,"  said 
Hollister;  "the  blessed  in  spirit  lie  quiet  until  the  gen 
eral  muster,  but  wickedness  disturbs  the  soul  in  this  life 
as  well  as  in  that  which  is  to  come." 

"And  what  is  to  come  of  Captain  Jack?"  cried  Betty, 
angrily;  "is  it  yeer  orders  that  ye  won't  mind,  nor  a 
warning  given?  I'll  jist  git  my  cart,  and  ride  down  and 
tell  him  that  ye're  afeard  of  a  dead  man  and  Beelzeboob; 
and  it  isn't  succor  he  may  be  expicting  from  ye.  I  won 
der  who'll  be  the  orderly  of  the  troop  the  morrow,  then? 
— his  name  won't  be  Hollister,  any  way." 

"Nay,  Betty,  nay,"  said  the  sergeant,  laying  his  hand 
familiarly  on  her  shoulder;  "if  there  must  be  riding  to 
night,  let  it  be  by  him  whose  duty  it  is  to  call  out  the 
men  and  to  set  an  example.  The  Lord  have  mercy,  and 
send  us  enemies  of  flesh  and  blood!" 

Another  glass  confirmed  the  veteran  in  a  resolution 
that  was  only  excited  by  a  dread  of  his  captain's  displeas 
ure,  and  he  proceeded  to  summon  the  dozen  men  who  had 
been  left  under  his  command.  The  boy  arriving  with  the 
ring,  Cassar  placed  it  carefully  in  the  pocket  of  his  waist 
coat  next  his  heart,  and,  mounting,  shut  his  eyes,  seized 
his  charger  by  the  mane,  and  continued  in  a  state  of 
comparative  insensibility,  until  the  animal  stopped  at  the 
door  of  the  warm  stable  whence  he  had  started. 

The  movements  of  the  dragoons,  being  timed  to  the 
order  of  a  march,  were  much  slower,  for  they  were  made 
with  a  watchfulness  that  was  intended  to  guard  against 
surprise  from  the  evil  one  himself. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

"Be  not  your  tongue  thy  own  shame's  orator, 
Look  sweet,  speak  fair,  become  disloyalty, 
Apparel  vice  like  virtue's  harbinger." 

—COMEDY  OP  ERRORS. 

THE  situation  of  the  party  in  Mr.  Wharton's  dwelling 
was  sufficiently  awkward,  during  the  hour  of  Caesar's 
absence;  for  such  was  the  astonishing  rapidity  displayed 
by  his  course,  that  the  four  miles  of  road  was  gone  over, 
and  the  events  we  have  recorded  had  occurred,  somewhat 
within  that  period  of  time.  Of  course,  the  gentlemen 
strove  to  make  the  irksome  moments  fly  as  swiftly  as  pos 
sible;  but  premeditated  happiness  is  certainly  of  the  least 
joyous  kind.  The  bride  and  bridegroom  are  imme- 
morially  privileged  to  be  dull,  and  but  few  of  their 
friends  seemed  disposed,  on  the  present  occasion,  to  dis 
honor  their  example.  The  English  colonel  exhibited  a 
proper  portion  of  uneasiness  at  this  unexpected  interrup 
tion  of  his  felicity,  and  he  sat  with  a  vary  ing  countenance 
by  the  side  of  Sarah,  who  seemed  to  be  profiting  by  the 
delay  to  gather  fortitude  for  the  solemn  ceremony.  In 
the  midst  of  this  embarrassing  silence,  Dr.  Sitgreaves 
addressed  himself  to  Miss  Peyton,  by  whose  side  he  had 
contrived  to  procure  a  chair. 

"Marriage,  madam,  is  pronounced  to  be  honorable  in 
the  sight  of  God  and  man:  and  it  may  be  said  to  be 
reduced,  in  the  present  age,  to  the  laws  of  nature  and 
reason.  The  ancients,  in  sanctioning  polygamy,  lost 
sight  of  the  provisions  of  nature,  and  condemned  thou 
sands  to  misery,  but  with  the  increase  of  science  have 
grown  the  wise  ordinances  of  society,  which  ordain  that 
man  should  be  the  husband  of  but  one  woman." 

Wellmere  glanced  a  fierce  expression  of  disgust  at  the 
surgeon,  that  indicated  his  sense  of  the  tediousness  of  the 

262 


THE  SPY  263 

other's  remarks;  while  Miss  Peyton,  with  a  slight  hesita 
tion,  as  if  fearful  of  touching  on  forbidden  subjects, 
replied: 

"I  had  thought,  sir,  that  we  were  indebted  to  the 
Christian  religion  for  our  morals  on  this  subject." 

"True,  madam,  it  is  somewhere  provided  in  the  pre 
scriptions  of  the  apostles,  that  the  sexes  should  henceforth 
be  on  an  equality  in  this  particular.  But  in  what  degree 
could  polygamy  affect  holiness  of  life?  It  was  probably 
a  wise  arrangement  of  Paul,  who  was  much  of  a  scholar, 
and  probably  had  frequent  conferences,  on  this  important 
subject,  with  Luke,  who  we  all  know  to  have  been  bred 
to  the  practice  of  medicine — 

There  is  no  telling  how  far  the  discursive  fancy  of  Sit- 
greaves  might  have  led  him,  on  this  subject,  had  he  not 
been  interrupted.  But  Lawton,  who  had  been  a  close 
though  silent  observer  of  all  that  passed,  profited  by  the 
hint  to  ask,  abruptly : 

"Pray,  Colonel  Wellmere,  in  what  manner  is  bigamy 
punished  in  England?" 

The  bridegroom  started,  and  his  lip  blanched.  Recov 
ering  himself,  however,  on  the  instant,  he  answered  with 
a  suavity  that  became  so  happy  a  man: 

"Death! — as  such  an  offence  merits,"  he  said. 

"Death  and  dissection,"  continued  the  operator:  "it  is 
seldom  that  the  law  loses  sight  of  eventual  utility  in  a 
malefactor.  Bigamy,  in  a  man,  is  a  heinous  offence!" 

"More  so  than  celibacy?"  asked  Lawton. 

"More  so,"  returned  the  surgeon,    with  undisturbed 
simplicity:   "one   who    remains    in  a   single   state   may 
devote  his  life  to  science  and  the  extension  of  knowledge, 
if  not  of  his  species;  but  the  wretch  who  profits  by  the, 
constitutional  tendency  of  the  female  sex  to  credulity  and  I 
tenderness,    incurs   the    wickedness   of  ^  a   positive   sin, 
heightened  by  the  baseness  of  deception." 

"Really,  sir,  the  ladies  are  infinitely  obliged  to  you, 
for  attributing  folly  to  them  as  part  of  their  nature." 

"Captain  Lawton,    in  man  the  animal    is  more  nobly 
formed  than  in  woman.     The  nerves  are  endowed  with 
less  sensibility;  the  whole  frame  is  less  pliable  and  jrjelc 
ing;  is  it  therefore  surprising,  that  a  tendency  to  rely  on 


2G4  THE   SPY 

the  faith  of  her  partner  is  more  natural  to  woman  than 
to  the  other  sex?" 

Wellmere,  as  if  unable  to  listen  with  any  degree  of  pa 
tience  to  so  ill-timed  a  dialogue,  sprang  from  his  seat 
and  paced  the  floor  in  disorder.  Pitying  his  situation, 
the  reverend  gentleman,  who  was  patiently  awaiting  the 
return  of  Csesar,  changed  the  discourse,  and  a  few  min 
utes  brought  the  black  himself.  The  billet  was  handed 
to  Dr.  Sitgreaves;  for  Miss  Peyton  had  expressly  enjoined 
Cassar  not  to  implicate  her,  in  any  manner,  in  the  errand 
on  which  he  was  despatched.  The  note  contained  a  sum 
mary  statement  of  the  several  subjects  of  the  surgeon's 
directions,  and  referred  him  to  the  black  for  the  ring. 
The  latter  was  instantly  demanded,  and  promptly  deliv 
ered.  A  transient  look  of  melancholy  clouded  the  brow 
of  the  surgeon,  as  he  stood  a  moment,  and  gazed  silently 
on  the  bauble;  nor  did  he  remember  the  place,  or  the 
occasion,  while  he  soliloquized  as  follows: 

"Poor  Anna!  gay  as  innocence  and  youth  could  make 
thee  was  thy  heart,  when  this  cincture  was  formed  to 
grace  thy  nuptials;  but  ere  the  hour  had  come,  God  had 
taken  thee  to  Himself.  Years  have  passed,  my  sister, 
but  never  have  I  forgotten  the  companion  of  my  infancy!" 
He  advanced  to  Sarah,  and,  unconscious  of  observation, 
placing  the  ring  on  her  finger,  continued,  "She  for  whom 
it  was  intended  has  long  been  in  her  grave,  and  the  youth 
who  bestowed  the  gift  soon  followed  her  sainted  spirit: 
take  it,  madam,  and  God  grant  that  it  may  be  an  instru 
ment  in  making  you  as  happy  as  you  deserve!" 

Sarah  felt  a  chill  at  her  heart,  as  this  burst  of  feeling 
escaped  the  surgeon;  but  Wellmere  offering  his  hand,  she 
was  led  before  the  divine,  and  the  ceremony  began.  The 
first  words  of  this  imposing  office  produced  a  dead  still 
ness  in  the  apartment:  and  the  minister  of  God  proceeded 
to  the  solemn  exhortation,  and  witnessed  the  plighted 
troth  of  the  parties,  when  the  investiture  was  to  follow. 
The  ring  had  been  left,  from  inadvertency,  and  the  agita 
tion  of  the  moment,  on  the  finger  where  Sitgreaves  had 
placed  it;  the  slight  interruption  occasioned  by  the  cir 
cumstance  was  over,  and  the  clergyman  was  about  to 
proceed,  when  a  figure  gliding  into  the  midst  of  the 


THE  SPY  265 

party  at  once  put  a  stop  to  the  ceremony.  It  was  the 
peddler.  His  look  was  bitter  and  ironical,  while  a  fin 
ger,  raised  towards  the  divine,  seemed  to  forbid  the  cere 
mony  to  go  any  further. 

"Can  Colonel  Wellmere  waste  the  precious  moments 
here,  when  his  wife  has  crossed  the  ocean  to  meet  him? 
The  nights  are  long,  and  the  moon  bright;  a  few  hours 
will  take  him  to  the  city." 

Aghast  at  the  suddenness  of  this  extraordinary  address, 
Wellmere  for  a  moment  lost  the  command  of  his  faculties. 
To  Sarah,  the  countenance  of  Birch,  expressive  as  it  was, 
produced  no  terror;  but  the  instant  she  recovered  from 
the  surprise  of  his  interruption,  she  turned  her  anxious 
gaze  on  the  features  of  the  man  to  whom  she  had  just 
pledged  her  troth.  They  afforded  the  most  terrible  con 
firmation  of  all  that  the  peddler  affirmed;  the  room 
whirled  round,  and  she  fell  lifeless  into  the  arms  of  her 
aunt.  There  is  an  instinctive  delicacy  in  woman,  that 
seems  to  conquer  all  other  emotions;  and  the  insensible 
bride  was  immediately  conveyed  from  sight,  leaving  the 
room  to  the  sole  possession  of  the  other  sex. 

The  confusion  enabled  the  peddler  to  retreat  with  a 
rapidity  that  would  have  baffled  pursuit,  had  any  been 
attempted,  and  Wellmere  stood  with  every  eye  fixed  on 
him,  in  ominous  silence. 

"'Tis  false — 'tis  false  as  hell!"  he  cried,  striking  his 
forehead.  "I  have  ever  denied  her  claim;  nor  will  the 
laws  of  my  country  compel  me  to  acknowledge  it." 

"But  what  will  conscience  and  the  laws  of  God  do?" 
asked  Lawton. 

"'Tis  well,  sir,"  said  Wellmere,  haughtily,  and  retreat 
ing  towards  the  door,  "my  situation  protects  you  now; 
but  a  time  may  come — 

He  had  reached  the  entry,  when  a  slight  tap  on  his 
shoulder  caused  him  to  turn  his  head;  it  was  Captain 
Lawton,  who,  with  a  smile  of  peculiar  meaning,  beck 
oned  him  to  follow.  The  state  of  Wellmere's  mind  was 
such  that  he  would  gladly  have  gone  anywhere  to  avoid 
the  gaze  of  horror  and  detestation  that  glared  from  every 
eye  he  met.  They  reached  the  stables  before  the  trooper 
spoke,  when  he  cried  aloud: 


266  THE   SPY 

"Bring  out  Roanoke!" 

His  man  appeared  with  the  steed  caparisoned  for  its 
master.  Lawton,  coolly  throwing  the  bridle  on  the  neck 
of  the  animal,  took  his  pistols  from  the  holsters,  and 
continued,  "Here  are  weapons  that  have  seen  good  service 
before  to-day— aye,  and  in  honorable  hands,  sir.  These 
were  the  pistols  of  my  father,  Colonel  Wellmere;  he  used 
them  with  credit  in  the  wars  with  France,  and  gave 
them  to  me  to  fight  the  battles  of  my  country  with.  In 
what  better  way  can  I  serve  her  than  in  exterminating 
a  wretch  who  would  have  blasted  one  of  her  fairest 
daughters?" 

"This  injurious  treatment  shall  meet  with  its  reward," 
cried  the  other,  seizing  the  offered  weapon;  "the  blood 
lie  on  the  head  of  him  who  sought  it!" 

"Amen!  but  hold  a  moment,  sir.  You  are  now  free, 
and  the  passports  of  Washington  are  in  your  pocket;  I 
give  you  the  fire;  if  I  fall,  there  is  a  steed  that  will  out 
strip  pursuit;  and  I  would  advise  you  to  retreat  without 
much  delay,  for  even  Archibald  Sitgreaves  would  fight  in 
such  a  cause — nor  will  the  guard  above  be  very  apt  to 
give  quarter." 

"Are  you  ready?"  asked  Wellmere,  gnashing  his  teeth 
with  rage. 

"Stand  forward,  Tom,  with  the  light;  fire!" 

Wellmere  fired,  and  the  bullion  flew  from  the  epaulette 
of  the  trooper. 

"Now  the  turn  is  mine,"  said  Lawton,  deliberately 
levelling  his  pistol. 

"And  mine!"  shouted  a  voice,  as  the  weapon  was 
struck  from  his  hand.  "By  all  the  devils  in  hell,  'tis 
the  mad  Virginian! — fall  on,  my  boys,  and  take  him;  this 
is  a  prize  not  hoped  for!" 

Unarmed,  and  surprised  as  he  was,  Lawton 's  presence 
of  mind  did  not  desert  him;  he  felt  that  he  was  in  the 
hands  of  those  from  whom  he  was  to  expect  no  mercy; 
and,  as  four  of  the  Skinners  fell  upon  him  at  once,  he 
used  his  gigantic  strength  to  the  utmost.  Three  of  the 
band  grasped  him  by  the  neck  and  arms,  with  an  intent 
to  clog  his  efforts,  and  pinion  him  with  ropes.  The  first 
cf  these  he  threw  from  him,  with  a  violence  that  sent 


THE   SPY  267 

him  against  the  building,  where  he  lay  stunned  with  the 
blow.  But  the  fourth  seized  his  legs;  and,  unable  to 
contend  with  such  odds,  the  trooper  came  to  the  earth, 
bringing  with  him  all  his  assailants.  The  struggle  on 
the  ground  was  short  but  terrific;  curses  and  the  most 
dreadful  imprecations  were  uttered  by  the  Skinners,  who 
in  vain  called  on  more  of  their  band,  who  were  gazing 
on  the  combat  in  nerveless  horror,  to  assist.  A  difficulty 
of  breathing,  from  one  of  the  combatants,  was  heard, 
accompanied  by  the  stifled  meanings  of  a  strangled  man; 
and  directly  one  of  the  group  arose  on  his  feet,  shaking 
himself  free  from  the  wild  grasp  of  the  others.  Both 
Wellmere  and  the  servant  of  Lawton  had  fied:  the  former 
to  the  stables,  and  the  latter  to  give  the  alarm,  leaving 
all  in  darkness.  The  figure  that  stood  erect  sprang  into 
the  saddle  of  the  unheeded  charger;  sparks  of  fire,  issuing 
from  the  armed  feet  of  the  horse,  gave  a  momentary 
light  by  which  the  captain  was  seen  dashing  like  the  wind 
towards  the  highway. 

"By  hell,  he's  off!"  cried  the  leader,  hoarse  with  rage 
and  exhaustion;  "fire! — bring  him  down — fire,  or  you'll 
be  too  late." 

The  order  was  obeyed,  and  one  moment  of  suspense  fol 
lowed,  in  the  vain  hope  of  hearing  the  huge  frame  of 
Lawton  tumbling  from  his  steed. 

"He  would  not  fall  if  you  had  killed  him,"  muttered 
one;  "I've  known  these  Virginians  sit  their  horses  with 
two  or  three  balls  through  them;  aye,  even  after  they 
were  dead." 

A  freshening  of  the  wind  wafted  the  tread  of  a  horse 
down  the  valley,  which,  by  its  speed,  gave  assurance  of  a 
rider  governing  its  motion. 

"These  trained  borses  always  stop  when  the  rider 
falls, ' '  observed  one  of  the  gang. 

"Then,"  cried  the  leader,  striking  his  musket  on  the 
ground  in  a  rage,  "the  fellow  is  safe!— to  your  business 
at  once.  A  short  half-hour  will  bring  down  that  canting 
sergeant  and  the  guard  upon  us.  'Twill  be  lucky  if  the 
guns  don't  turn  them  out.  Quick,  to  your  posts,  and  fire 
the  house  in  the  chambers;  smoking  ruins  are  good  to 
cover  evil  deeds." 


268  THE  SPY 

"What  is  to  be  done  with  this  lump  of  earth?"  cried 
another,  pushing  the  body  that  yet  lay  insensible,  where 
it  had  been  hurled  by  the  arm  of  Lawton;  "a  little  rub 
bing  would  bring  him  to." 

"Let  him  lie,"  said  the  leader,  fiercely;  "had  he  been 
half  a  man,  that  dragooning  rascal  would  have  been  in 
my  power;  enter  the  house,  I  say,  and  fire  the  chambers. 
We  can't  go  amiss  here;  there  is  plate  and  money  enough 
to  make  you  all  gentlemen — and  revenge  too." 

The  idea  of  silver  in  any  way  was  not  to  be  resisted ; 
and,  leaving  their  companion,  who  began  to  show  faint 
signs  of  life,  they  rushed  tumultuously  towards  the 
dwelling.  Wellmere  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity, 
and,  stealing  from  the  stable  with  his  own  charger,  he 
was  able  to  gain  the  highway  unnoticed.  For  an  instant 
he  hesitated,  whether  to  ride  towards  the  point  where  he 
knew  the  guard  was  stationed,  and  endeavor  to  rescue  the 
family,  or,  profiting  by  his  liberty  and  the  exchange 
that  had  been  effected  by  the  divine,  to  seek  the  royal 
army.  Shame,  and  a  consciousness  of  guilt,  determined 
him  to  take  the  latter  course,  and  he  rode  towards  New 
York,  stung  with  the  reflection  of  his  own  baseness,  and 
harassed  with  the  apprehension  of  meeting  with  an 
enraged  woman,  that  he  had  married  during  his  late  visit 
to  England,  but  whose  claims,  as  soon  as  his  passion  was 
sated,  he  had  resolved  never  willingly  to  admit.  In  the 
tumult  and  agitation  of  the  moment,  the  retreat  of  Law- 
ton  and  Wellmere  was  but  little  noticed;  the  condition  of 
Mr.  Wharton  demanding  the  care  and  consolation  of  both 
the  surgeon  and  the  divine.  The  report  of  the  firearms 
first  roused  the  family  to  the  sense  of  a  new  danger,  and 
but  a  moment  elapsed  before  the  leader,  and  one  more  of 
the  gang,  entered  the  room. 

"Surrender!  you  servants  of  King  George,"  shouted 
the  leader,  presenting  his  musket  to  the  breast  of  Sit- 
greaves,  "or  I  will  let  a  little  tory  blood  from  your 
veins." 

"Gently — gently,  my  friend,"  said  the  surgeon;  "you 
are  doubtless  more  expert  in  inflicting  wounds  than  in 
healing  them;  the  weapon  that  you  hold  so  indiscreetly  is 
extremely  dangerous  to  animal  life." 


THE  SPY  269 

"Yield,  or  take  its  contents." 

"Why  and  wherefore  should  I  yield? — I  am  a  non- 
combatant.  The  articles  of  capitulation  must  be  arranged 
with  Captain  John  Lawton;  though  yielding,  I  believe,  is 
not  a  subject  on  which  you  will  find  him  particularly 
complying." 

The  fellow  had  by  this  time  taken  such  a  survey  of  the 
group,  as  convinced  him  that  little  danger  was  to  be 
apprehended  from  resistance,  and,  eager  to  seize  his  share 
of  the  plunder,  he  dropped  his  musket,  and  was  soon 
busy,  with  the  assistance  of  his  men,  in  arranging  divers 
articles  of  plate  in  bags.  The  cottage  now  presented  a 
singular  spectacle.  The  ladies  were  gathered  around 
Sarah,  who  yet  continued  insensible,  in  one  of  the  rooms 
that  had  escaped  the  notice  of  the  marauders.  Mr. 
Wharton  sat  in  a  state  of  perfect  imbecility,  listening  to, 
but  not  profiting  by,  the  meaning  words  of  comfort  that 
fell  from  the  lips  of  the  clergyman.  Singleton  was  lying 
on  a  sofa,  shaking  with  debility,  and  inattentive  to 
surrounding  objects;  while  the  surgeon  was  administering 
restoratives,  and  looking  at  the  dressings,  with  a  coolness 
that  mocked  the  tumult.  Caesar,  and  the  attendant  of 
Captain  Singleton,  had  retreated  to  the  wood  in  the  rear 
of  the  cottage,  and  Katy  Haynes  was  flying  about  the 
building,  busily  employed  in  forming  a  bundle  of  valua 
bles,  from  which,  with  the  most  scrupulous  honesty,  she 
rejected  every  article  that  was  not  really  and  truly  her 
own. 

But  to  return  to  the  party  at  the  Four  Corners.  When 
the  veteran  had  got  his  men  mounted  and  under  arms,  a 
restless  desire  to  participate  in  the  glory  and  dangers  of 
the  expedition  came  over  the  washerwoman.  Whether 
she  was  impelled  to  the  undertaking  by  a  dread  of 
remaining  alone,  or  a  wish  to  hasten  in  person  to  the 
relief  of  her  favorite,  we  will  not  venture  to  assert;  but, 
as  Hollister  was  giving  the  orders  to  wheel  and  march, 
the  voice  of  Betty  was  heard,  exclaiming: 

"Stop  a  bit,  sargeant  dear,  till  two  of  the  boys  get  out 
the  cart,  and  I'll  jist  ride  wid  ye;  'tis  like  there'll 
wounded,  and  it  will  be  mighty  convanient  to  bring  them 
home  in." 


270  THE  SPY 

Although  inwardly  much  pleased  with  any  cause  of 
delay  to  a  service  that  he  so  little  relished,  Hollister 
affected  some  displeasure  "at  the  detention. 

"Nothing  but  a  cannon-ball  can  take  one  of  my  lads 
from  his  charger,"  he  said;  "and  it's  not  very  likely 
that  we  shall  have  as  fair  fighting  as  cannon  and  mus 
ketry,  in  a  business  of  the  evil  one's  inventing;  so,  Eliza 
beth,  you  may  go  if  you  will,  but  the  cart  will  not  be 
wanting." 

"Now,  sargeant  dear,  you  lie,  any  way,"  said  Betty, 
who  was  somewhat  unduly  governed  by  her  potations; 
"and  wasn't  Captain  Singleton  shot  off  his  horse  but  tin 
days  gone  by?  aye,  and  Captain  Jack  himself,  too;  and 
didn't  he  lie  on  the  ground,  face  uppermost,  and  back 
downwards,  looking  grim?  and  didn't  the  boys  t'ink  him 
dead,  and  turn  and  1'ave  the  rig'lars  the  day?" 

"You  lie  back  a.gain,"  cried  the  sergeant,  fiercely: 
"and  so  does  any  one  who  says  that  we  didn't  gain  the 
day." 

"For  a  bit  or  so — only  I  mane  for  a  bit  or  so,"  said 
the  washerwoman;  "but  Major  Dunwoodie  turned  you, 
and  so  you  licked  the  rig'lars.  But  the  captain  it  was 
that  fell,  and  I'm  thinking  that  there's  no  better  rider 
going;  so,  sargeant,  it's  the  cart  will  be  convanient. 
Here,  two  of  you,  jist  hitch  the  mare  to  the  tills,  and  it's 
no  whiskey  that  ye'll  be  wanting  the  morrow;  and  put 
the  piece  of  Jenny's  hide  under  the  pad;  the  baste  is  never 
the  better  for  the  rough  ways  of  the  county  West- Ches 
ter,"  The  consent  of  the  sergeant  being  obtained,  the 
equipage  of  Mrs.  Flanagan  was  soon  in  readiness  to 
receive  its  burthen. 

"As  it  is  quite  uncertain  whether  we  shall  be  attacked 
in  front,  or  in  rear,"  said  Hollister,  "five  of  you  shall 
march  in  advance,  and  the  remainder  shall  cover  our 
retreat  towards  the  barrack,  should  we  be  pressed.  'Tis 
an  awful  moment  to  a  man  of  little  learning,  Elizabeth, 
to  command  in  such  a  service;  for  my  part,  I  wish  de 
voutly  that  one  of  the  officers  were  here;  but  my  trust  is 
in  the  Lord." 

"Pooh!  man,  away  wid  ye,"  said  the  washerwoman, 
who  had  got  herself  comfortably  seated;  "the  divil  of  a 


THE  SPY  271 

bit  of  an  inimy  is  there  near.  March  on,  hurry-skurry, 
and  let  the  mare  trot,  or  it's  but  little  that  Captain  Jack 
will  thank  ye  for  the  help." 

"Although  unlearned  in  matters  of  communicating 
with  spirits,  or  laying  the  dead,  Mrs.  Flanagan,"  said 
the  veteran,  "I  have  not  served  through  the  old  war,  and 
five  years  in  this,  not  to  know  how  to  guard  the  baggage. 
Doesn't  Washington  always  cover  the  baggage?  I  am 
not  to  be  told  my  duty  by  a  camp-follower.  Fall  in  as 
you  are  ordered,  and  dress,  men." 

"Well,  march,  any  way,"  cried  the  impatient  washer 
woman;  "the  black  is  there  already,  and  it's  tardy  the 
captain  will  think  ye." 

"Are  you  sure  that  it  was  really  a  black  man  that 
brought  the  order?"  said  the  sergeant,  dropping  in  be 
tween  the  platoons,  where  he  could  converse  with  Betty, 
and  be  at  hand,  to  lead  on  an  emergency,  either  on  an 
advance  or  on  a  retreat. 

"Nay — and  I'm  sure  of  nothing,  dear.  But  why  don't 
the  boys  prick  their  horses  and  jog  a  trot?  the  mare  is 
mighty  un'asy,  and  it's  no  warm  in  this  cursed  valley, 
riding  as  much  like  a  funeral  party  as  old  rags  is  to  con 
tinental."  1 

"Fairly  and  softly,  aye,  and  prudently,  Mrs.  Flanagan; 
it's  not  rashness  that  makes  the  good  officer.  If  we  have 
to  encounter  a  spirit,  it's  more  than  likely  he'll  make  his 
attack  by  surprise;  horses  are  not  very  powerful  in  the 
dark,  and  I  have  a  character  to  lose,  good  woman." 

"Caractur!  and  isn't  it  caractur  and  life,  too,  that  Cap 
tain  Jack  has  to  lose?" 

"Halt!"  cried  the  sergeant;  "what  is  that  lurking  near 
the  foot  of  the  rock  on  the  left?" 

"Sure,  it's  nothing,  unless  it  be  matter  of  Captain 
Jack's  sowl  that's  come  to  haunt  ye  for  not  being  brisker 
on  the  march." 

"Betty,  your  levity  makes  you  an  unfit  comrade  for 
such  an  expedition.  Advance,  one  of  you,  and  recon- 

'The  paper  money  issued  by  congress  was  familiarly  called  continental  money. 
This  term  continental"  was  applied  to  the  army,  the  congress,  the  ships  of 
war,  and,  in  short,  to  almost  everything  of  interest  which  belonged  to  the  new 
government.  It  would  seem  to  have  been  invented  as  the  opposite  of  the  in 
sular  position  of  the  mother  country. 


272  THE  SPY 

noitre  the  spot;  draw  swords! — rear  rank,  close  to  the 
front!" 

"Pshaw!"  shouted  Betty,  "is  it  a  big  fool  or  a  big- 
coward  that  ye  are?  just  wheel  from  the  road,  boys,  and 
I'll  shove  the  mare  down  upon  it  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye — and  it's  no  ghost  that  I  fear." 

By  this  time  one  of  the  men  had  returned,  and  de 
clared  there  was  nothing  to  prevent  their  advancing,  and 
the  party  continued  their  march,  but  with  great  delibera 
tion  and  caution. 

"Courage  and  prudence  are  the  jewels  of  a  soldier, 
Mrs.  Flanagan,"  said  the  sergeant;  "without  the  one  the 
other  may  be  said  to  be  good  for  nothing." 

"Prudence  without  courage:  is  it  that  you  mane? — and 
it's  so  that  I'm  thinking  myself,  sargeant.  This  baste 
pulls  tight  on  the  reins,  any  way." 

"Be  patient,  good  woman;  hark!  what  is  that?"  said 
Hollister,  pricking  up  his  ears  at  the  report  of  Well- 
mere's  pistol;  "I'll  swear  that  was  a  human  pistol,  and 
one  from  our  regiment.  Rear  rank,  close  to  the  front! — 
Mrs.  Flanagan,  I  must  leave  you."  So  saying,  having 
recovered  all  his  faculties,  by  hearing  a  sound  that  he 
understood,  he  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  his  men  with 
an  air  of  military  pride,  that  the  darkness  prevented  the 
washerwoman  from  beholding.  A  volley  of  musketry 
now  rattled  in  the  night  wind,  and  the  sargeant  ex 
claimed: 

"March! — quick  time!" 

The  next  instant  the  trampling  of  a  horse  was  heard 
coming  up  the  road,  at  a  rate  that  announced  a  matter  of 
life  or  death;  and  Hollister  again  halted  his  party,  riding 
a  short  distance  in  front  himself  to  meet  the  rider. 

"Stand!  who  goes  there?"  shouted  Hollister. 

"Ha!  Hollister,  is  it  you?"  cried  Lawton,  "ever  ready 
and  at  your  post;  but  where  is  the  guard?" 

"At  hand,  sir,  and  ready  to  follow  you  through  thick 
and  thin,"  said  the  veteran,  relieved  at  once  from  respon 
sibility,  and  as  eager  as  a  boy  to  be  led  against  his 
enemy. 

"'Tis  well!"  said  the  trooper,  riding  up  to  his  men; 
then,  speaking  a  few  words  of  encouragement,  he  led 


THE  SPY  273 

them  down  the  valley  at  a  rate  but  little  less  rapid  than 
his  approach.  The  miserable  horse  of  the  sutler  was 
soon  distanced,  and  Betty,  thus  thrown  out  in  the  chase, 
turned  to  the  side  of  the  road,  and  observed : 

"There— it's  no  difficult  to  tell  that  Captain  Jack  is 
wid  '^em,  any  way;  and  away  they  go  like  so  many  nagur 
boys  "to  a  husking-frolic;  well,  I'll  jist  hitch  the  mare  to 
this  bit  of  a  fence,  and  walk  down  and  see  the  sport  afoot 
—it's  no  r'asonable  to  expose  the  baste  to  be  hurted." 

Led  on  by  Lawton,  the  men  followed,  destitute  alike 
of  fear  and  reflection.  Whether  it  was  a  party  of  the 
refugees,  or  a  detachment  from  the  royal  army,  that  they 
were  to  assail,  they  were  profoundly  ignorant;  but  they 
knew  that  the  officer  in  advance  was  distinguished  for 
courage  and  personal  prowess;  and  these  are  virtues  that 
are  sure  to  captivate  the  thoughtless  soldiery.  On  arriv 
ing  near  the  gates  of  the  Locusts,  the  trooper  halted  his 
party,  and  made  his  arrangements  for  the  assault.  Dis 
mounting,  he  ordered  eight  of  his  men  to  follow  his 
example,  and  turning  to  Hollister,  said: 

"Stand  you  here,  and  guard  the  horses;  if  anything 
attempt  to  pass,  stop  it,  or  cut  it  down,  and —  The 
flames  at  this  moment  burst  through  the  dormer-windows 
and  cedar  roof  of  the  cottage,  and  a  bright  light  glared 
on  the  darkness  of  the  night.  "  On ! "  shouted  the  trooper, 
"on! — give  quarter  when  you  have  done  justice!" 

There  was  a  startling  fierceness  in  the  voice  of  the 
trooper  that  reached  to  the  heart,  even  amid  the  horrors 
of  the  cottage.  The  leader  of  the  Skinners  dropped  his 
plunder,  and,  for  a  moment,  he  stood  in  nerveless  dread; 
then  rushing  to  a  window,  he  threw  up  the  sash;  at  this 
instant  Lawton  entered,  sabre  in  hand,  into  the  apart 
ment. 

"Die,  miscreant!"  cried  the  trooper,  cleaving  a  ma 
rauder  to  the  jaw;  but  the  leader  sprang  into  the  lawn, 
and  escaped  his  vengeance.  The  shrieks  of  the  females 
restored  Lawton  to  his  presence  of  mind,  and  the  earnest 
entreaty  of  the  divine  induced  him  to  attend  to  the  safety 
of  the  family.  One  more  of  the  gang  fell  in  with  the 
dragoons,  and  met  his  death ;  but  the  remainder  had  taken 
the  alarm  in  season.  Occupied  with  Sarah,  neither  I  iss 

18 


274  THE   SPY 

Singleton,  nor  the  ladies  of  the  house,  had  discovered 
the  entrance  of  the  Skinners,  though  the  flames  were 
raging  around  them  with  a  fury  that  threatened  the 
building  with  rapid  destruction.  The  shrieks  of  Katy 
and  the  terrified  consort  of  Caesar,  together  with  the 
noise  and  uproar  in  the  adjacent  apartment,  first  roused 
Miss  Peyton  and  Isabella  to  a  sense  of  their  danger. 

"Merciful  Providence!"  exclaimed  the  alarmed  aunt; 
"there  is  a  dreadful  confusion  in  the  house,  and  there 
will  be  bloodshed  in  consequence  of  this  affair." 

"There  are  none  to  fight,"  returned  Isabella,  with  a 
face  paler  than  that  of  the  other;  "Dr.  Sitgreaves  is  very 
peaceable  in  his  disposition,  and  surely  Captain  Lawton 
would  not  forget  himself  so  far." 

"The  southern  temper  is  quick  and  fiery,"  continued 
Miss  Peyton;  "and  your  brother,  feeble  and  weak  as  he 
is,  has  looked  the  whole  afternoon  flushed  and  angry. ' ' 

"Good  Heaven!"  cried  Isabella,  with  difficulty  sup 
porting  herself  on  the  couch  of  Sarah;  he  is  gentle  as  the 
lamb  by  nature,  though  the  lion  is  not  his  equal  when 
roused. ' ' 

"We  must  interfere:  our  presence  will  quell  the  tu 
mult,  and  possibly  save  the  life  of  a  fellow-creature." 

Miss  Peyton,  excited  to  attempt  what  she  conceived  a 
duty  worthy  of  her  sex  and  nature,  advanced  with  the 
dignity  of  injured  female  feeling,  to  the  door,  followed 
by  Isabella.  The  apartment  to  which  Sarah  had  been 
conveyed  was  in  one  of  the  wings  of  the  building,  and  it 
communicated  with  the  principal  hall  of  the  cottage  by  a 
long  and  dark  passage.  This  was  now  light,  and  across 
its  termination  several  figures  were  seen  rushing  with  an 
impetuosity  that  prevented  an  examination  of  their 
employment. 

"Let  us  advance,"  said  Miss  Peyton,  with  a  firmness 
her  face  belied;  "they  must  respect  our  sex." 

"They  shall,"  cried  Isabella,  taking  the  lead  in  the 
enterprise.  Frances  was  left  alone  with  her  sister.  A 
few  minutes  were  passed  in  silence;  when  a  loud  crash, 
in  the  upper  apartments,  was  succeeded  by  a  bright  light 
that  glared  through  the  open  door,  and  made  objects  as 
distinct  to  the  eye  as  if  they  were  placed  under  a  noon- 


THE   SPY  275 

day  sun.  Sarah  raised  herself  on  her  bed,  and  staring 
wildly  around,  pressed  both  her  hands  on  her  forehead, 
endeavoring  to  recollect  herself. 

"This,  then,  is  heaven— and  you  are  one  of  its  bright 
spirits.  Oh!  how  glorious  is  its  radiance!  I  had  thought 
the  happiness  I  have  lately  experienced  was  too  much  for 
earth.  But  we  shall  meet  again;  yes— yes — we  shall 
meet  again." 

"Sarah!  Sarah!"  cried  Frances,  in  terror;  "my  sister 
—my  only  sister — Oh!  do  not  smile  so  horridly:  know 
me,  or  you  will  break  my  heart." 

"Hush,"  said  Sarah,  raising  her  hand  for  silence;  "you 
may  disturb  his  rest— surely,  he  will  follow  me  to  the 
grave.  Think  you  there  can  be  two  wives  in  the  grave? 
No — no — no ;  one — one — one — only  one. ' ' 

Frances  dropped  her  head  into  the  lap  of  her  sister, 
and  wept  in  agony. 

"Do  you  shed  tears,  sweet  angel?"  continued  Sarah, 
soothingly;  "then  heaven  is  not  exempt  from  grief.  But 
where  is  Henry?  He  was  executed,  and  he  must  be  here 
too;  perhaps  they  will  come  together.  Oh,  how  joyful 
will  be  the  meeting!" 

Frances  sprang  on  her  feet,  and  paced  the  apartment. 
The  eye  of  Sarah  followed  her  in  childish  admiration  of 
her  beauty. 

"You  look  like  my  sister;  but  all  good  and  lovely 
spirits  are  alike.  Tell  me,  were  you  ever  married? 
Did  you  ever  let  a  stranger  steal  your  affections  from 
father,  and  brother,  and  sister?  If  not,  poor  wretch,  I 
pity  you,  although  you  may  be  in  heaven." 

"Sarah — peace,  peace — I  implore  you  to  be  silent," 
shrieked  Frances,  rushing  to  her  bed,  "or  you  will  kill 
me  at  your  feet. ' ' 

Another  dreadful  crash  shook  the  building  to  its  cen 
tre.  It  was  the  falling  of  the  roof,  and  the  flames  threw 
their  light  abroad,  so  as  to  make  objects  visible  around 
the  cottage,  through  the  windows  of  the  room.  Frances 
flew  to  one  of  them,  and  saw  the  confused  group  that  was 
collected  on  the  lawn.  Among  them  were  her  aunt  and 
Isabella,  pointing  with  distraction  to  the  fiery  edifice,  and 
apparently  urging  the  dragoons  to  enter  it.  For  the  first 


276  THE   SPY 

time  she  comprehended  their  danger;  and  uttering  a  wild 
shriek,  she  flew  through  the  passage  without  considera 
tion  or  object. 

A  dense  and  suffocating  column  of  smoke  opposed  her 
progress.  She  paused  to  breathe,  when  a  man  caught 
her  in  his  arms,  and  bore  her,  in  a  state  of  insensibility, 
through  the  falling  embers  and  darkness,  to  the  open 
air.  The  instant  that  Frances  recovered  her  recollection, 
she  perceived  that  she  owed  her  life  to  Lawton,  and 
throwing  herself  on  her  knees,  she  cried: 

"Sarah!  Sarah!  Sarah!  save  my  sister,  and  may  the 
blessing  of  God  await  you!" 

Her  strength  failed  and  she  sank  on  the  grass,  in  in 
sensibility.  The  trooper  pointed  to  her  figure,  motioned 
to  Katy  for  assistance,  and  advanced  once  more  to  the 
building.  The  fire  had  already  communicated  to  the 
woodwork  of  the  piazzas  and  windows,  and  the  whole 
exterior  of  the  cottage  was  covered  with  smoke.  The 
only  entrance  was  through  these  dangers,  and  even  the 
hardy  and  impetuous  Lawton  paused  to  consider.  It  was 
for  a  moment  only,  when  he  dashed  into  the  heat  and 
darkness,  where,  missing  the  entrance,  he  wandered  for 
a  minute,  and  precipitated  himself  back  again,  upon 
the  lawn.  Drawing  a  single  breath  of  pure  air,  he 
renewed  the  effort,  and  was  again  unsuccessful.  On  a 
third  trial,  he  met  a  man  staggering  under  the  load  of  a 
human  body.  It  was  neither  the  place,  nor  was  there 
time,  to  question,  or  to  make  distinctions;  seizing  both 
in  his  arms,  with  gigantic  strength,  he  bore  them  through 
the  smoke.  He  soon  perceived,  to  his  astonishment,  that 
it  was  the  surgeon,  and  the  body  of  one  of  the  Skinners, 
that  he  had  saved. 

"Archibald!"  he  exclaimed,  "why,  in  the  name  of 
justice,  did  you  bring  this  miscreant  to  light  again? 
His  deeds  are  rank  to  heaven!" 

The  surgeon,  who  had  been  in  imminent  peril,  was  too 
much  bewildered  to  reply  instantly,  but  wiping  the  mois 
ture  from  his  forehead,  and  clearing  his  lungs  from  the 
vapor  he  had  inhaled,  he  said,  piteously: 

"Ah!  it  is  all  over!  Had  I  been  in  time  to  have 
stopped  the  effusion  from  the  jugular,  he  might  have  been 


THE  SPY  277 

saved;  but  the  heat  was  conducive  to  hemorrhage;  life  is 
extinct  indeed.     Well,  are  there  any  more  wounded?" 

His  question  was  put  to  the  air,  for  Frances  had  been 
removed  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  building,  where  her 
friends  were  collected,  and  Lawtcn  had  once  more  disap 
peared  in  the  smoke. 

By  this  time  the  flames  had  dispersed  much  of  the 
suffocating  vapor,  so  that  the  trooper  was  able  to  find  the 
door,  and  in  its  very  entrance  he  was  met  by  a  man  sup 
porting  the  insensible  Sarah.  There  was  but  barely  time 
to  reach  the  lawn  again,  before  the  fire  broke  through  the 
windows,  and  wrapped  the  whole  building  in  a  sheet  of 
flarne. 

"God  be  praised!"  ejaculated  the  preserver  of  Sarah; 
' '  it  would  have  been  a  dreadful  death  to  die. ' ' 

The  trooper  turned  from  gazing  at  the  edifice,  to  the 
speaker,  and  to  his  astonishment,  instead  of  one  of  his 
own  men,  he  beheld  the  peddler. 

"Ha!  the  spy,"  he  exclaimed;  "by  heavens,  you  cross 
me  like  a  spectre." 

"Captain  Lawton,"  said  Birch,  leaning  in  momentary 
exhaustion  against  the  fence,  to  which  they  had  retired 
from  the  heat,  "I  am  again  in  your  power,  for  I  can 
neither  flee  nor  resist." 

"The  cause  of  America  is  dear  to  me  as  life,"  said  the 
trooper;  "but  she  cannot  require  her  children  to  forget 
gratitude  and  honor.  Fly,  unhappy  man,  while  yet  you 
are  unseen,  or  it  will  exceed  my  power  to  save  you." 

"May  God  prosper  you,  and  make  you  victorious  over 
your  enemies,"  said  Birch,  grasping  the  hand  of  the 
dragoon  with  an  iron  strength  that  his  meagre  figure  did 
not  indicate. 

"Hold!"  said  Lawton;  "but  a  word— are  you  what  you 
seem? — can  you — are  you — 

"A  royal  spy,"  interrupted  Birch,  averting  his  face, 
and  endeavoring  to  release  his  hand. 

"Then  go,  miserable  wretch,"  said  the  trooper,  rel 
quishing  his  grasp;  "either  avarice  or  delusion  has  led  a 
noble  heart  astray!" 

The  bright  light  from  the  flames  reached  a  greal 
tance  around  the  ruins,  but  the  words  were  hardly  past 


278  THE   SPY 

the  lips  of  Lawton,  before  the  gaunt  form  of  the  peddler 
had  glided  over  the  visible  space,  and  plunged  into  the 
darkness  beyond. 

The  eye  of  Lawton  rested  for  a  moment  on  the  spot 
where  he  had  last  seen  this  inexplicable  man,  and  then 
turning  to  the  yet  insensible  Sarah,  he  lifted  her  in  his 
arms,  and  bore  her,  like  a  sleeping  infant,  to  the  care  of 
her  friends. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

"And  now  her  charms  are  fading  fast, 
Her  spirits  now  no  more  are  gay : 
Alas  !  that  beauty  cannot  last ! 
That  flowers  so  sweet  so  soon  decay ! 
How  sad  appears 
The  vale  of  years, 

How  changed  from  youth's  too  flattering  scene  I 
Where  are  her  fond  admirers  gone? 
Alas!  and  shall  there  then  be  none 
On  whom  her  soul  may  lean?" 

—CYNTHIA'S  GRAVE. 

THE  walls  of  the  cottage  were  all  that  was  left  of  the 
building;  and  these,  blackened  by  smoke,  and  stripped  of 
their  piazzas  and  ornaments,  were  but  dreary  memorials 
of  the  content  and  security  that  had  so  lately  reigned 
within.  The  roof,  together  with  the  rest  of  the  wood 
work,  had  tumbled  into  the  cellars,  and  a  pale  and  flit 
ting  light,  ascending  from  their  embers,  shone  faintly 
through  the  windows.  The  early  flight  of  the  Skinners 
left  the  dragoons  at  liberty  to  exert  themselves  in  saving 
much  of  the  furniture,  which  lay  scattered  in  heaps  on 
the  lawn,  giving  the  finishing  touch  of  desolation  to  the 
scene.  Whenever  a  stronger  ray  of  light  than  common 
shot  upwards,  the  composed  figures  of  Sergeant  Hollister 
and  his  associates,  sitting  on  their  horses  in  rigid  dis 
cipline,  were  to  be  seen  in  the  background  of  the  pic 
ture,  together  with  the  beast  of  Mrs.  Flanagan,  which, 
having  slipped  its  bridle,  was  quietly  grazing  by  the 
highway.  Betty  herself  had  advanced  to  the  spot  where 
the  sergeant  was  posted,  and,  with  an  incredible  degree 
of  composure,  witnessed  the  whole  of  the  events  as  they 
occurred.  More  than  once  she  suggested  to  her  compan 
ion,  that,  as  the  fighting  seemed  to  be  over,  the  proper 
time  for  plunder  had  arrived,  but  the  veteran  acquainted 
her  with  his  orders,  and  remained  inflexible  and  immova 
ble,  until  the  washerwoman,  observing  Lawton  come 

279 


280  THE   SPY 

round  the  wing  of  the  building  with  Sarah,  ventured 
amongst  the  warriors.  The  captain,  after  placing  Sarah 
on  a  sofa  that  had  been  hurled  from  the  building  by  two 
of  his  men,  retired,  that  the  ladies  might  succeed  him  in 
his  care.  Miss  Peyton  and  her  niece  flew,  with  a  rap 
ture  that  was  blessed  with  a  momentary  forgetfulness  of 
all  but  her  preservation,  to  receive  Sarah  from  the 
trooper;  but  the  vacant  eye  and  flushed  cheek  restored 
them  instantly  to  their  recollection. 

"Sarah,  my  child,  my  beloved  niece,"  said  the  former, 
folding  the  unconscious  bride  in  her  arms,  "you  are 
saved,  and  may  the  blessing  of  God  await  him  who  has 
been  the  instrument." 

"See,"  said  Sarah,  gently  pushing  her  aunt  aside,  and 
pointing  to  the  glimmering  ruins,  "the  windows  are 
illuminated  in  honor  of  my  arrival.  They  always  receive 
a  bride  thus — he  told  me  they  would  do  no  less;  listen, 
and  you  will  hear  the  bells." 

"Here  is  no  bride,  no  rejoicing,  nothing  but  woe!" 
cried  Frances,  in  a  manner  but  little  less  frantic  than 
that  of  her  sister;  "oh!  may  Heaven  restore  you  to  us— 
to  yourself!" 

"Peace,  foolish  young  woman,"  said  Sarah,  with  a 
smile  of  affected  pity;  "all  cannot  be  happy  at  the  same 
moment;  perhaps  you  have  no  brother,  or  husband,  to 
console  you;  you  look  beautiful,  and  you  will  yet  find 
one;  but,"  she  continued,  dropping  her  voice  to  a  whis 
per,  "see  that  he  has  no  other  wife — 'tis  dreadful  to 
think  what  might  happen,  should  he  be  twice  married." 

"The  shock  has  destroyed  her  mind,"  cried  Miss  Pey 
ton;  "my  child,  my  beauteous  Sarah  is  a  maniac!" 

"No,  no,  no,"  cried  Frances,  "it  is  fever;  she  is  light 
headed — she  must  recover — she  shall  recover. ' ' 

The  aunt  caught  joyfully  at  the  hope  conveyed  in  this 
suggestion,  and  despatched  Katy  to  request  the  imme 
diate  aid  and  advice  of  Dr.  Sitgreaves.  The  surgeon 
was  found  inquiring  among  the  men  for  professional 
employment,  and  inquisitively  examining  every  bruise 
and  scratch  that  he  could  induce  the  sturdy  warriors  to 
acknowledge  they  had  received.  A  summons,  of  the 
sort  conveyed  by  Katy,  was  instantly  obeyed,  and  not  a 


THE  SPY  281 

minute  elapsed  before  he  was  by  the  side  of  Miss  Pey 
ton. 

"This  is  a  melancholy  termination  to  so  joyful  a  com 
mencement  of  the  night,  madam,"  he  observed,  in  a 
soothing  manner:  "but  war  must  bring  its  attendant 
miseries;  though  doubtless  it  often  supports  the  cause  of 
liberty,  and  improves  the  knowledge  of  surgical  science." 

Miss  Peyton  could  make  no  reply,  but  pointed  to  her 
niece  in  agony. 

"'Tis  fever,"  answered  Frances;  "see  how  glassy  is 
her  eye,  and  look  at  her  cheek,  how  flushed." 

The  surgeon  stood  for  a  moment,  deeply  studying  the 
outward  symptoms  of  his  patient,  and  then  he  silently 
took  her  hand  in  his  own.  It  was  seldom  that  the  hard 
and  abstracted  features  of  Sitgreaves  discovered  any  vio 
lent  emotion;  all  his  passions  seemed  schooled,  and  his 
countenance  did  not  often  betray  what,  indeed,  his  heart 
frequently  felt.  In  the  present  instance,  however,  the 
eager  gaze  of  the  aunt  and  sister  quickly  detected  his 
emotions.  After  laying  his  fingers  for  a  minute  on  the 
beautiful  arm,  which,  bared  to  the  elbow,  and  glittering 
with  jewels,  Sarah  suffered  him  to  retain,  he  dropped  it, 
and  dashing  a  hand  over  his  eye,  turned  sorrowfully 
away. 

"Here  is  no  fever  to  excite — 'tis  a  case,  my  dear 
madam,  for  time  and  care  only;  these,  with  the  blessing 
of  God,  may  effect  a  cure." 

"And  where  is  the  wretch  who  has  caused  this  ruin?" 
exclaimed  Singleton,  rejecting  the  support  of  his  man, 
and  making  an  effort  to  rise  from  the  chair  to  which  he 
had  been  driven  by  debility.  "It  is  in  vain  that  we  over 
come  our  enemies,  if,  conquered,  they  can  inflict  such 
wounds  as  this." 

"Dost  think,  foolish  boy,"  said  Lawton,  with  a  bitter 
smile,  "that  hearts  can  feel  in  a  colony?  What  is  America 
but  a  satellite  of  England— to  move  as  she  moves,  follow 
where  she  wists,  and  shine,  that  the  mother  country  may 
become  more  splendid  by  her  radiance?  Surely  you  for 
get  that  it  is  honor  enough  for  a  colonist  to  receive  ruin 
from  the  hand  of  a  child  of  Britain." 

"I  forgot  not  that  I  wear  a  sword,"  said  Singleton, 


282  THE   SPY 

falling  back  exhausted;  "but  was  there  no  willing  arm 
ready  to  avenge  that  lovely  sufferer — to  appease  the 
wrongs  of  this  hoary  father?" 

"Neither  arms  nor  hearts  are  wanting,  sir,  in  such  a 
cause,"  said  the  trooper,  fiercely;  "but  chance  often 
times  helps  the  wicked.  By  heavens,  I'd  give  Roanoke 
himself,  for  a  clear  field  with  the  miscreant!" 

"Nay!  captain  dear,  no  be  parting  with  the  horse,  any 
way,"  said  Betty;  "it  is  no  trifle  that  can  be  had  by 
jist  asking  of  the  right  person,  if  ye're  in  need  of  silver; 
and  the  baste  is  sure  of  foot,  and  jumps  like  a  squirrel." 

"Woman,  fifty  horses,  aye,  the  best  that  were  ever 
reared  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac,  would  be  but  a  pal 
try  price,  for  one  blow  at  a  villain." 

"Come,"  said  the  surgeon,  "the  night  air  can  do  no 
service  to  George,  or  these  ladies,  and  it  is  incumbent  on 
us  to  remove  them  where  they  can  find  surgical  attend 
ance  and  refreshment.  Here  is  nothing  but  smoking 
ruins  and  the  miasma  of  the  swamps." 

To  this  rational  proposition  no  objection  could  be 
raised,  and  the  necessary  orders  were  issued  by  Lawton 
to  remove  the  whole  party  to  the  Four  Corners. 

America  furnished  but  few  and  very  indifferent  car 
riage-makers  at  the  period  of  which  we  write,  and  every 
vehicle,  that  in  the  least  aspired  to  that  dignity,  was  the 
manufacture  of  a  London  mechanic.  When  Mr.  Wharton 
left  the  city,  he  was  one  of  the  very  few  who  maintained 
the  state  of  a  carriage;  and,  at  the  time  Miss  Peyton  and 
his  daughters  joined  him  in  his  retirement,  they  had  been 
conveyed  to  the  cottage  in  the  heavy  chariot  that  had 
once  so  imposingly  rolled  through  the  windings  of  Queen 
Street,  or  emerged,  with  sombre  dignity,  into  the  more 
spacious  drive  of  Broadway.  This  vehicle  stood,  undis 
turbed,  where  it  had  been  placed  on  its  arrival,  and  the 
age  of  the  horses  alone  had  protected  the  favorites  of 
Cassar  from  sequestration  by  the  contending  forces  in 
their  neighborhood.  With  a  heavy  heart,  the  black,  as 
sisted  by  a  few  of  the  dragoons,  proceeded  to  prepare  it 
for  the  reception  of  the  ladies.  It  was  a  cumbrous 
vehicle,  whose  faded  linings  and  tarnished  hammercloth, 
together  with  its  panels  of  changing  color,  denoted  the 


THE  SPY  283 

want  of  that  art  which  had  once  given  it  lustre  and 
beauty.  The  "lion  couchant"  of  the  Wharton  arms  was 
reposing  on  the  reviving  splendor  of  a  blazonry  that  told 
the  armorial  bearings  of  a  prince  of  the  church;  and  the 
mitre,  that  began  to  shine  through  its  American  mask, 
was  a  symbol  of  the  rank  of  its  original  owner.  The 
chaise  which  conveyed  Miss  Singleton  was  also  safe,  for 
the  stable  and  outbuildings  had  entirely  escaped  the 
flames:  it  certainly  had  been  no  part  of  the  plan  of  the 
marauders  to  leave  so  well-appointed  a  stud  behind  them, 
but  the  suddenness  of  the  attack  by  Lawton,  not  only  dis 
concerted  their  arrangements  on  this  point,  but  on  many 
others  also.  A  guard  was  left  on  the  ground,  under  the 
command  of  Hollister,  who,  having  discovered  that  his 
enemy  was  of  mortal  mould,  took  his  position  with  ad 
mirable  coolness,  and  no  little  skill,  to  guard  against  sur 
prise.  He  drew  off  his  small  party  to  such  a  distance 
from  the  ruins,  that  it  was  effectually  concealed  in  the 
darkness,  while  at  the  same  time  the  light  continued 
sufficiently  powerful  to  discover  any  one  who  might 
approach  the  lawn  with  an  intent  to  plunder. 

Satisfied  with  this  judicious  arrangement,  Captain 
Lawton  made  his  dispositions  for  the  march.  Miss  Pey 
ton,  her  two  nieces,  and  Isabella,  were  placed  in  the 
chariot,  while  the  cart  of  Mrs.  Flanagan,  amply  supplied 
with  blankets  and  a  bed,  was  honored  with  the  person  of 
Captain  Singleton.  Dr.  Sitgreaves  took  charge  of  the 
chaise  and  Mr.  Wharton.  What  became  of  the  rest  of 
the  family,  during  that  eventful  night,  is  unknown:  for 
Cassar  alone,  of  the  domestics,  was  to  be  found,  if  we  ex 
cept  the  housekeeper.  Having  disposed  of  the  whole 
party  in  this  manner,  Lawton  gave  the  word  to  march. 

He  remained  himself,  for  a  few  minutes,  alone,  on  the 
lawn,  secreting  various  pieces  of  plate  and  other  valua 
bles,  that  he  was  fearful  might  tempt  the  cupidity  of  his 
own  men;  when,  perceiving  nothing  more  that  he  con 
ceived  likely  to  overcome  their  honesty,  he  threw  himself 
into  the  saddle  with  the  soldierly  intention  of  bringing 
up  the  rear. 

"Stop,  stop,"  cried  a  female  voice:  "will  you  leave  me 
alone  to  be  murdered?  the  spoon  is  melted,  I  believe,  and 


284  THE   SPY 

I'll  have  compensation,  if  there's  law  or  justice  in  this 
unhappy  land." 

Lawton  turned  an  eye  in  the  direction  of  the  sound, 
and  perceived  a  female  emerging  from  the  ruins,  loaded 
with  a  bundle  that  vied  in  size  with  the  renowned  pack 
of  the  peddler. 

"Whom  have  we  here,"  said  the  trooper,  "rising  like 
a  phoenix  from  the  flames?  Oh!  by  the  soul  of  Hippo 
crates,  but  it  is  the  identical  she-doctor,  of  famous  needle 
reputation.  Well,  good  woman,  what  means  this  out 
cry?" 

"Outcry!"  echoed  Katy,  panting  for  breath;  "is  it  not 
disparagement  enough  to  lose  a  silver  spoon,  but  I  must 
be  left  alone  in  this  lonesome  place,  to  be  robbed,  and 
perhaps  murdered?  Harvey  would  not  serve  me  so;  when 
I  lived  with  Harvey,  I  was  always  treated  with  respect, 
at  least,  if  he  was  a  little  close  with  his  secrets,  and 
wasteful  of  his  money." 

"Then,  madam,  you  once  formed  part  of  the  household 
of  Mr.  Harvey  Birch?" 

"You  may  say  I  was  the  whole  of  his  household,"  re 
turned  the  other;  "there  was  nobody  but  I,  and  he,  and 
the  old  gentleman;  you  didn't  know  the  old  gentleman, 
perhaps?" 

"That  happiness  was  denied  me:  how  long  did  you  live 
in  the  family  of  Mr.  Birch?" 

"I  disremember  the  precise  time,  but  it  must  have 
been  hard  upon  nine  years:  and  what  better  am  I  for  it 
all?" 

"Sure  enough;  I  can  see  but  little  benefit  that  you  have 
derived  from  the  association,  truly.  But  is  there  not 
something  unusual  in  the  movements  and  character  of 
this  Mr.  Birch?" 

"Unusual  is  an  easy  word  for  such  unaccountables!" 
replied  Katy,  lowering  her  voice,  and  looking  around 
her;  "he  was  a  wonderful  disregardful  man,  and  minded 
a  guinea  no  more  than  I  do  a  kernel  of  corn.  But  help 
me  to  some  way  of  joining  Miss  Jinitt,  and  I  will  tell 
you  prodigies  of  what  Harvey  has  done,  first  and  last. ' ' 

"You  will!"  exclaimed  the  trooper,  musing;  "here, 
give  me  leave  to  feel  your  arm  above  the  elbow.  There 


THE   SPY  285 

— you  are  not  deficient  in  bone,  let  the  blood  be  as  it 
may."  So  saying,  he  gave  the  spinster  a  sudden  whirl, 
that  effectually  confused  all  her  faculties,  until  she  found 
herself  safely,  if  not  comfortably,  seated  on  the  crupper 
of  Lawton 's  steed. 

"Now,  madam,  you  have  the  consolation  of  knowing 
that  you  are  as  well  mounted  as  Washington.  The  nag 
is  sure  of  foot,  and  will  leap  like  a  panther." 

"Let  me  get  down,"  cried  Katy,  struggling  to  release 
herself  from  his  iron  grasp,  and  yet  afraid  of  falling; 
"this  is  no  way  to  put  a  woman  on  a  horse;  besides,  I 
can't  ride  without  a  pillion." 

"Softly,  good  madam,"  said  Lawton;  "for  although 
Roanoke  never  falls  before,  he  sometimes  rises  behind. 
He  is  far  from  being  accustomed  to  a  pair  of  heels  beat 
ing  upon  his  flanks  like  a  drum-major  on  a  field-day;  a 
single  touch  of  the  spur  will  serve  him  for  a  fortnight, 
and  it  is  by  no  means  wise  to  be  kicking  in  this  manner, 
for  he  is  a  horse  that  but  little  likes  to  be  outdone." 

"Let  me  down,  I  say,"  screamed  Katy;  "I  shall  fall 
and  be  killed.  Besides,  I  have  nothing  to  hold  on  with; 
my  arms  are  full  of  valuables. ' ' 

"True,"  returned  the  trooper,  observing  that  he  had 
brought  bundle  and  all  from  the  ground;  "I  perceive  that 
you  belong  to  the  baggage-guard;  but  my  sword-belt  will 
encircle  your  little  waist,  as  well  as  my  own." 

Katy  was  too  much  pleased  with  this  compliment  to 
make  any  resistance,  while  he  buckled  her  close  to  his 
own  herculean  frame,  and,  driving  a  spur  into  his 
charger,  they  flew  from  the  lawn  with  a  rapidity  that 
defied  further  denial.  After  proceeding  for  some  time, 
at  a  rate  that  a  good  deal  discomposed  the  spinster,  they 
overtook  the  cart  of  the  washerwoman  driving  slowly 
over  the  stones,  with  a  proper  consideration  for  the 
wounds  of  Captain  Singleton.  The  occurrences  of  that 
eventful  night  had  produced  an  excitement  in  the  young 
soldier,  that  was  followed  by  the  ordinary  lassitude  of 
reaction,  and  he  lay  carefully  enveloped  in  blankets,  and 
supported  by  his  man,  but  little  able  to  converse,  though 
deeply  brooding  over  the  past.  The  dialogue  between 
Lawton  and  his  companion  ceased  with  the  commence- 


286  THE   SPY 

ment  of  their  motions,  but  a  foot-pace  being  more  favor 
able  to  speech,  the  trooper  began  anew: 

"Then,  you  have  been  an  inmate  in  the  same  house 
with  Harvey  Birch?" 

"For  more  than  nine  years,"  said  Katy,  drawing  her 
breath,  and  rejoicing  greatly  that  their  speed  was  abated. 

The  deep  tones  of  the  trooper's  voice  were  no  sooner 
conveyed  to  ths  ears  of  the  washerwoman,  than,  turning 
her  head,  where  she  sat  directing  the  movements  of  the 
mare,  she  put  into  the  discourse  at  the  first  pause. 

"Belike,  then,  good  woman,  ye're  knowing  whether  or 
no  he's  akin  to  Beelzeboob,"  said  Betty;  "it's  Sargeant 
Hollister  who's  saying  the  same,  and  no  fool  is  the 
sargeant,  any  way. ' ' 

"It's  a  scandalous  disparagement,"  cried  Katy,  vehe 
mently,  "no  kinder  soul  than  Harvey  carries  a  pack;  and 
for  a  gownd  or  a  tidy  apron,  he  will  never  take  a  king's 
farthing  from  a  friend.  Beelzebub,  indeed!  For  what 
would  he  read  the  Bible,  if  he  had  dealings  with  the  evil 
spirit?" 

"He's  an  honest  devil,  any  way;  as  I  was  saying  be 
fore,  the  guinea  was  pure.  But  then  the  sargeant  thinks 
him  amiss,  and  it's  no  want  of  Taming  that  Mister  Hoi- 
lister  has." 

"He's  a  fool!"  said  Katy,  tartly;  "Harvey  might  be  a 
man  of  substance,  were  he  not  so  disregardful.  How 
often  have  I  told  him,  that  if  he  did  nothing  but  peddle, 
and  would  put  his  gains  to  use,  and  get  married,  so  that 
things  at  home  could  be  kept  within  doors,  and  leave  off 
his  dealings  with  the  rig'lars,  and  all  incumberments, 
that  he  would  soon  become  an  excellent  liver.  Sergeant 
Hollister  would  be  glad  to  hold  a  candle  to  him,  indeed!" 

"Pooh!"  said  Betty,  in  her  philosophical  way;  "ye're 
no  thinking  that  Mister  Hollister  is  an  officer,  and  stands 
next  the  cornet,  in  the  troop.  But  this  piddler  gave 
warning  of  the  brush  the  night,  and  it's  no  sure  that 
Captain  Jack  would  have  got  the  day,  but  for  the  rein 
forcement.  ' ' 

"How  say  you,  Betty,"  cried  the  trooper,  bending  for 
ward  on  his  saddle,  "had  you  notice  of  our  danger  from 
Birch?" 


THE   SPY  287 

"The  very  same,  darling;  and  it's  hurry  I  was  till  the 
boys  was  in  motion;  not  but  I  knew  ye' re  enough  for  the 
Cow-Boys  any  time.  But  wid  the  divil  on  your  side,  I 
was  sure  of  the  day.  I'm  only  wondering  there's  so 
little  plunder  in  a  business  of  Beelzeboob's  contriving." 

"I'm  obliged  to  you  for  the  rescue,  and  equally  in 
debted  to  the  motive. ' ' 

"Is  it  the  plunder?  But  little  did  I  t'ink  of  it  till  I 
saw  the  movables  on  the  ground,  some  burnt,  and  seme 
broke,  and  other  some  as  good  as  new.  It  would  be  con- 
vanient  to  have  one  feather-bed  in  the  corps,  any  way." 

"By  heavens,  'twas  timely  succor!  Had  not  Roanoke 
been  swifter  than  their  bullets,  I  must  have  fallen.  The 
animal  is  worth  his  weight  in  gold." 

"It's  continental,  you  mane,  darling.  Goold  weighs 
heavy,  and  is  no  plenty  in  the  States.  If  the  nagur 
hadn't  been  staying  and  frighting  the  sargeant  with  his 
copper-colored  looks,  and  a  matter  of  blarney  'bout  ghosts, 
we  should  have  been  in  time  to  have  killed  all  the  dogs, 
and  taken  the  rest  prisoners." 

"It  is  very  well  as  it  is,  Betty,"  said  Lawton;  "a  day 
will  yet  come,  I  trust,  when  these  miscreants  shall  be 
rewarded,  if  not  in  judgments  upon  their  persons,  at 
least  in  the  opinions  of  their  fellow-citizens.  The  time 
must  arrive  when  America  will  learn  to  distinguish  be 
tween  a  patriot  and  a  robber." 

"Speak  low,"  said  Katy;  "there's  some  who  think 
much  of  themselves,  that  have  doings  with  the  Skin 
ners.  ' ' 

"It's  more  they  are  thinking  of  themselves,  then,  than 
other  people  thinks  of  them,"  cried  Betty;  "a  fief's  a 
t'ief,  any  way;  whether  he  stales  for  King  George  or  for 
Congress. ' ' 

"I  know'd  that  evil  would  soon  happen,"  said  Katy; 
"the  sun  set  to-night  behind  a  black  cloud,  and  the  house 
dog  whined,  although  I  gave  him  his  supper  with  my 
own  hands;  besides,  it's  not  a  week  sin'  I  dreamed  the 
dream  about  the  thousand  lighted  candles,  and  the  cakes 
being  burnt  in  the  oven." 

"Well,"  said  Betty,  "it's  but  little  I  drame,  any  way. 
Jist  keep  an  'asy  conscience  and  a  plenty  of  the  stuff  in 


288  THE   SPY 

ye,  and  ye' 11  sleep  like  an  infant.  The  last  drame  I  had 
was  when  the  boys  put  the  thistle-tops  in  the  blankets, 
and  then  I  was  thinking  that  Captain  Jack's  man  was 
currying  me  down,  for  the  matter  of  Roanoke,  but  it's 
no  trifle  I  mind  either  in  skin  or  stomach." 

"I'm  sure,"  said  Katy,  with  a  stiff  erection  that  drew 
Lawton  back  in  his  saddle,  "no  man  shall  ever  dare  to 
lay  hands  on  bed  of  mine;  it's  undecent  and  despisable 
conduct." 

"Pooh!  pooh!"  cried  Betty;  "if  you  tag  after  a  troop 
of  horse,  a  small  bit  of  a  joke  must  be  borne;  what  would 
become  of  the  States  and  liberty  if  the  boys  had  never  a 
clane  shirt  or  a  drop  to  comfort  them?  Ask  Captain 
Jack,  there,  if  they'd  fight,  Mrs.  Beelzeboob,  and  they  no 
clane  linen  to  keep  the  victory  in." 

"I'm  a  single  woman,  and  my  name  is  Haynes, "  said 
Katy,  "and  I'd  thank  you  to  use  no  disparaging  terms 
when  speaking  to  me." 

"You  must  tolerate  a  little  license  in  the  tongue  of 
Mrs.  Flanagan,  madam,"  said  the  trooper;  "the  drop  she 
speaks  of  is  often  of  an  extraordinary  size,  and  then  she 
has  acquired  the  freedom  of  a  soldier's  manner." 

"Pooh!  captain,  darling,"  cried  Betty,  "why  do  you 
bother  the  woman?  talk  like  yeerself,  dear,  and  it's  no 
fool  of  a  tongue  that  ye've  got  in  yeer  own  head.  But 
jist  here-away  that  the  sargeant  made  a  halt,  thinking 
there  might  be  more  divils  than  one  stirring,  the  night. 
The  clouds  are  as  black  as  Arnold's  heart,  and  deuce  the 
star  is  there  twinkling  among  them.  Well,  the  mare  is 
used  to  a  march  after  nightfall,  and  is  smelling  out  the 
road  like  a  pointer  slut." 

"It  wants  but  little  to  the  rising  moon,"  observed  the 
trooper.  He  called  a  dragoon,  who  was  riding  in  ad 
vance,  issued  a  few  orders  and  cautions  relative  to  the 
comfort  and  safety  of  Singleton,  and  speaking  a  consoling 
word  to  his  friend  himself,  gave  Roanoke  the  spur,  and 
dashed  by  the  cart,  at  a  rate  that  again  put  to  flight  all 
the  philosophy  of  Katharine  Haynes. 

"Good  luck  to  ye,  for  a  free  rider  and  a  bold!"  shouted 
the  washerwoman,  as  he  passed;  "if  ye're  meeting  Mister 
Beelzeboob,  jist  back  the  baste  up  to  him,  and  show  him 


THE  SPY  289 

his  consort  that  ye've  got  on  the  crupper.  I'm  thinking 
it's  no  long  he'd  tarry  to  chat.  Well,  well,  it's  his  life 
that  we  saved,  he  was  saying  so  himself — though  the 
plunder  is  nothing  to  signify. ' ' 

The  cries  of  Betty  Flanngan  were  too  familiar  to  the 
ears  of  Captain  Lawton  to  elicit  a  reply.  Notwithstand 
ing  the  unusual  burden  that  Roanoke  sustained,  he  got 
over  the  ground  with  great  rapidity,  and  the  distance 
between  the  cart  of  Mrs.  Flanagan  and  the  chariot  of 
Miss  Peyton  was  passed  in  a  manner  that,  however  it 
answered  the  intentions  of  the  trooper,  in  no  degree  con 
tributed  to  the  comfort  of  his  companion.  The  meeting 
occurred  but  a  short  distance  from  the  quarters  of  Lawton, 
and  at  the  same  instant  the  moon  broke  from  behind  a 
mass  of  clouds,  and  threw  its  light  upon  objects. 

Compared  with  the  simple  elegance  and  substantial 
comfort  of  the  Locusts,  the  "Hotel  Flanagan"  presented 
but  a  dreary  spectacle.  In  the  place  of  carpeted  floors 
and  curtained  windows,  were  the  yawning  cracks  of  a 
rudely  constructed  dwelling,  and  boards  and  paper  were 
ingeniously  applied  to  supply  the  place  of  the  green  glass 
in  more  than  half  the  lights.  The  care  of  Lawton  had 
anticipated  every  improvement  that  their  situation  would 
allow,  and  blazing  fires  were  made  before  the  party 
arrived.  The  dragoons,  who  had  been  charged  with  this 
duty,  had  conveyed  a  few  necessary  articles  of  furniture, 
and  Miss  Peyton  and  her  companions,  on  alighting,  found 
something  like  habitable  apartments  prepared  for  their 
reception.  The  mind  of  Sarah  had  continued  to  wander 
during  the  ride,  and,  with  the  ingenuity  of  the  insane, 
she  accommodated  every  circumstance  to  the  feelings 
that  were  uppermost  in  her  own  bosom. 

"It  is  impossible  to  minister  to  a  mind  that  has  sus 
tained  such  a  blow,"  said  Lawton  to  Isabella  Singleton; 
"time  and  God's  mercy  can  alone  cure  it;  but  something 
more  may  be  done  towards  the  bodily  comfort  of  all. 
You  are  a  soldier's  daughter,  and  used  to  scenes  like  this; 
help  me  to  exclude  some  of  the  cold  air  from  these 
windows." 

Miss  Singleton  acceded  to  his  request,  and  while  Law- 
ton  was  endeavoring,  from  without,  to  remedy  the  defect 

19 


290  THE   SPY 

of  broken  panes,  Isabella  was  arranging  a  substitute  for 
a  curtain  within. 

"I  hear  the  cart,"  said  the  trooper,  in  reply  to  one  of 
her  interrogatories.  "Betty  is  tender-hearted  in  the 
main;  believe  me,  poor  George  will  not  only  be  safe,  but 
comfortable. ' ' 

"God  bless  her,  for  her  care,  and  bless  you  all,"  said 
Isabella,  fervently.  "Dr.  Sitgreaves  has  gone  down  the 
road  to  meet  him,  I  know — what  is  that  glittering  in  the 
moon?" 

Directly  opposite  the  window  where  they  stood,  were 
the  out-buildings  of  the  farm,  and  the  quick  eye  of  Law- 
ton  caught  at  a  glance  the  object  to  which  she  alluded. 

""Pis  the  glare  of  fire-arms,"  said  the  trooper,  spring 
ing  from  the  window  towards  his  charger,  which  yet 
remained  caparisoned  at  the  door.  His  movement  was 
quick  as  thought,  but  a  flash  of  fire  was  followed  by  the 
whistling  of  a  bullet,  before  he  had  proceeded  a  step.  A 
loud  shriek  burst  from  the  dwelling,  and  the  captain 
sprang  into  his  saddle:  the  whole  was  the  business  of  but 
a  moment. 

"Mount — mount,  and  follow!"  shouted  the  trooper; 
and  before  his  astonished  men  could  understand  the  cause 
of  alarm,  Roanoke  had  carried  him  safely  over  the  fence 
which  lay  between  him  and  his  foe.  The  chase  was  for 
life  or  death,  but  the  distance  to  the  rocks  was  again 
too  short,  and  the  disappointed  trooper  saw  his  intended 
victim  vanish  in  their  clefts,  where  he  could  not  follow. 

"By  the  life  of  Washington,"  muttered  Lawton,  as  he 
sheathed  his  sabre,  "I  would  have  made  two  halves  of 
him,  had  he  not  been  so  nimble  on  the  foot — but  a  time 
will  come!"  So  saying,  he  returned  to  his  quarters, 
with  the  indifference  of  a  man  who  knew  his  life  was  at 
any  moment  to  be  offered  a  sacrifice  to  his  country.  An 
extraordinary  tumult  in  the  house  induced  him  to  quicken 
his  speed,  and  on  arriving  at  the  door,  the  panic-stricken 
Katy  informed  him  that  the  bullet  aimed  at  his  own  life 
had  taken  effect  in  the  bosom  of  Miss  Singleton. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

"Hushed  were  his  Gertrude's  lips  ;  but  still  their  bland 
And  beautiful  expression  seemed  to  melt 
With  love  that  could  not  die  !  and  still  his  hand 
She  presses  to  the  heart  no  more  that  felt." 

—GERTRUDE  OF  WYOMING. 

THE  brief  arrangements  of  the  dragoons  had  prepared 
two  apartments  for  the  reception  of  the  ladies,  the  one 
being  intended  as  a  sleeping-room,  and  situated  within 
the  other.  Into  the  latter  Isabella  was  immediately  con 
veyed,  at  her  own  request,  and  placed  on  a  rude  bed  by 
the  side  of  the  unconscious  Sarah.  When  Miss  Peyton 
and  Frances  flew  to  her  assistance,  they  found  her  with  a 
smile  on  her  pallid  lip,  and  a  composure  in  her  counte 
nance,  that  induced  them  to  think  her  uninjured. 

"God  be  praised!"  exclaimed  the  trembling  aunt;  "the 
report  of  fire-arms,  and  your  fall,  had  led  me  into  error. 
Surely,  surely,  there  was  enough  horror  before;  but  this 
has  been  spared  us. ' ' 

Isabella  pressed  her  hand  upon  her  bosom,  still  smiling, 
but  with  a  ghastliness  that  curdled  the  blood  of  Frances. 

"Is  George  far  distant?"  she  asked;  "let  him  know — 
hasten  him,  that  I  may  see  my  brother  once  again." 

"It  is  as  I  apprehended!"  shrieked  Miss  Peyton;  "but 
you  smile — surely  you  are  not  hurt!" 

"Quite  well — quite  happy,"  murmured  Isabella;  "here 
is  a  remedy  for  every  pain." 

Sarah  arose  from  the  reclining  posture  she  had  taken, 
and  gazed  wildly  at  her  companion.  She  stretched  forth 
her  own  hand,  and  raised  that  of  Isabella  from  her  bosom. 
It  was  dyed  in  blood. 

"See,"  said  Sarah,  "but  will  it  not  wash  away  love? 
Marry,  young  woman,  and  then  no  one  can  expel  1  him 
from  your  keart,  unless," — she  added,  whispering  and 
bending  over  the  other — "you  find  another  there  before 

291 


292  THE   SPY 

you;  then  die,  and  go  to  heaven — there  are  no  wives  in 
heaven. ' ' 

The  lovely  maniac  hid  her  face  under  the  clothes,  and 
continued  silent  during  the  remainder  of  the  night.  At 
this  moment  Lawton  entered.  Inured  as  he  was  to  dan 
ger  in  all  its  forms,  and  accustomed  to  the  horrors  of  a 
partisan  war,  the  trooper  could  not  behold  the  ruin  be 
fore  him  unmoved.  He  bent  over  the  fragile  form  of 
Isabella,  and  his  gloomy  eye  betrayed  the  workings  of  his 
soul. 

"Isabella,"  he  at  length  uttered,  "I  know  you  to  pos 
sess  a  courage  beyond  the  strength  of  women. ' ' 

"Speak,"  she  said,  earnestly;  "if  you  have  anything 
to  say,  speak  fearlessly." 

The  trooper  averted  his  face  as  he  replied,  "None  ever 
receive  a  ball  there,  and  survive." 

"I  have  no  dread  of  death,  Lawton,"  returned  Isabella; 
"I  thank  you  for  not  doubting  me;  I  felt  it  from  the 
first." 

"These  are  not  scenes  for  a  form  like  yours,"  added 
the  trooper:  "'tis  enough  that  Britain  calls  our  youth  to 
the  field;  but  when  such  loveliness  becomes  the  victim  of 
war,  I  sicken  of  my  trade. ' ' 

"Hear  me,  Captain  Lawton,"  said  Isabella,  raising 
herself  with  difficulty,  but  rejecting  aid:  "from  early 
womanhood  to  the  present  hour  have  I  been  an  inmate  of 
camps  and  garrisons.  I  have  lived  to  cheer  the  leisure 
of  an  aged  father,  and  think  you  I  would  change  those 
days  of  danger  and  privation  for  any  ease?  No!  I  have 
the  consolation  of  knowing,  in  my  dying  moments,  that 
what  woman  could  do  in  such  a  cause,  I  have  done." 

"Who  could  prove  a  recreant,  arid  witness  such  a 
spirit!  Hundreds  of  warriors  have  I  witnessed  in  their 
blood,  but  never  a  firmer  soul  among  them  all." 

"'Tis  the  soul  only,"  said  Isabella;  "my  sex  and 
strength  have  denied  me  the  dearest  of  privileges.  But 
to  you,  Captain  Lawton,  nature  has  been  more  bountiful ; 
you  have  an  arm  and  a  heart  to  devote  to  the  cause;  and 
I  know  they  are  an  arm  and  a  heart  that  will  prove  true 
to  the  last.  And  George — and" — she  paused,  her  lip 
quivered,  and  her  eye  sank  to  the  floor. 


THE   SPY  293 

"And  Dun  wood  ie!"  added  the  trooper;  "would  you 
speak  of  Dunwoodie!" 

"Name  him  not,"  said  Isabella,  sinking  back,  and  con 
cealing  her  face  in  her  garments;  "leave  me,  Lawton — 
prepare  poor  George  for  this  unexpected  blow." 

The  trooper  continued  for  a  little  while  gazing,  in  mel 
ancholy  interest,  at  the  convulsive  shudderings  of  her 
frame,  which  the  scanty  covering  could  not  conceal,  and 
withdrew  to  meet  his  comrade.  The  interview  between 
Singleton  and  his  sister  was  painful,  and,  for  a  moment, 
Isabella  yielded  to  a  burst  of  tenderness;  but,  as  if  aware 
that  her  hours  were  numbered,  she  was  the  first  to  rouse 
herself  to  exertion.  At  her  earnest  request,  the  room 
was  left  to  herself,  the  captain,  and  Frances.  The 
repeated  applications  of  the  surgeon,  to  be  permitted  to 
use  professional  aid,  were  steadily  rejected,  and,  at 
length,  he  was  obliged  unwillingly  to  retire. 

"Raise  me,"  said  the  dying  young  woman,  "and  let 
me  look  on  a  face  that  I  love,  once  more."  Frances 
silently  complied,  and  Isabella  turned  her  eyes  in  sisterly 
affection  upon  George.  "It  matters  but  little,  my 
brother — a  few  hours  must  close  the  scene." 

"Live,  Isabella,  my  sister,  my  only  sister!"  cried  the 
youth,  with  a  burst  of  sorrow  that  he  could  not  control ; 
"my  father!  my  poor  father — 

"There  is  the  sting  of  death;  but  he  is  a  soldier  and  a 
Christian.  Miss  Wharton,  I  would  speak  of  what  inter 
ests  you,  while  yet  I  have  strength  for  the  task." 

"Nay,"  said  Frances,  tenderly,  "compose  yourself,  let 
no  desire  to  oblige  me  endanger  a  life  that  is  precious  to 
— to — so  many." 

The  words  were  nearly  stifled  by  her  emotions,  for  the 
other  had  touched  a  chord  that  thrilled  to  her  heart. 

"Poor,  sensitive  girl!"  said  Isabella,  regarding  her 
with  tender  interest;  "but  the  world  is  still  before  you, 
and  why  should  I  disturb  the  little  happiness  it  may 
afford!  Dream  on,  lovely  innocent!  and  may  God  keep 
the  evil  day  of  knowledge  far  distant!" 

"Oh,  there  is  even  now  little  left  for  me  to  enjoy," 
said  Frances,  burying  her  face  in  the  clothes;  "I  am 
heart-stricken,  in  all  that  I  most  loved." 


294  THE   SPY 

"No!"  interrupted  Isabella;  "you  have  one  inducement 
to  wish  for  life,  that  pleads  strongly  in  a  woman's  breast. 
It  is  a  delusion  that  nothing  but  death  can  destroy." 
Exhaustion  compelled  her  to  pause,  and  her  auditors  con 
tinued  in  breathless  suspense,  until,  recovering  her 
strength,  she  laid  her  hand  on  that  of  Frances,  and  con 
tinued  more  mildly:  "Miss  Wharton,  if  there  breathes  a 
spirit  congenial  to  Dunwoodie's,  and  worthy  of  his  love, 
it  is  your  own." 

A  flush  of  fire  passed  over  the  face  of  the  listener,  and 
she  raised  her  eyes,  flashing  with  an  ungovernable  look 
of  delight,  to  the  countenance  of  Isabella;  but  the  ruin 
she  beheld  recalled  better  feelings,  and  again  her  head 
dropped  upon  the  covering  of  the  bed.  Isabella  watched 
her  emotion  with  a  look  that  partook  both  of  pity  and 
admiration. 

"Such  have  been  the  feelings  that  I  have  escaped,"  she 
continued;  "yes,  Miss  Wharton,  Dunwoodie  is  wholly 
yours. ' ' 

"Be  just  to  yourself,  my  sister,"  exclaimed  the  youth; 
"let  no  romantic  generosity  cause  you  to  forget  your  own 
character. ' ' 

She  heard  him,  and  fixed  a  gaze  of  tender  interest  on 
his  face,  but  slowly  shook  her  head  as  she  replied: 

"It  is  not  romance,  but  truth,  that  bids  me  speak. 
Oh!  how  much  have  I  lived  within  an  hour!  Miss  Whar 
ton,  I  was  born  under  a  burning  sun,  and  my  feelings 
seem  to  have  imbibed  its  warmth;  I  have  existed  for  pas 
sion  only." 

"Say  not  so — say  not  so,  I  implore  you,"  cried  the  agi 
tated  brother;  "think  how  devoted  has  been  your  love 
to  our  aged  father;  how  disinterested,  how  tender  your 
affection  to  me!" 

"Yes,"  said  Isabella,  a  smile  of  mild  pleasure  beaming 
on  her  countenance;  "that,  at  least,  is  a  reflection  which 
may  be  taken  to  the  grave. ' ' 

Neither  Frances  nor  her  brother  interrupted  her  medi 
tations,  which  continued  for  several  minutes;  when,  sud 
denly  recollecting  herself,  she  continued: 

"I  remain  selfish  even  to  the  last;  with  me,  Miss  Whar 
ton,  America  and  her  liberties  was  my  earliest  passion, 


THE   SPY  295 

and — "  Again  she  paused,  and  Frances  thought  it  was 
the  struggle  of  death  that  followed;  but  reviving,  she 
proceeded:  "Why  should  I  hesitate,  on  the  brink  of  the 
grave!  Dunwoodie  was  my  next  and  my  last.  But," 
burying  her  face  in  her  hands,  "it  was  a  love  that  was 
unsought. ' ' 

"Isabella!"  exclaimed  her  brother,  springing  from  the 
bed,  and  pacing  the  floor  in  disorder. 

"See  how  dependent  we  become  under  the  dominion  of 
worldly  pride;  it  is  painful  to  George  to  learn  that  one  he 
loves  had  no  feelings  superior  to  her  nature  and  educa 
tion." 

"Say  no  more,"  whispered  Frances;  "you  distress  us 
both — say  no  more,  I  entreat  you. ' ' 

"In  justice  to  Dunwoodie  I  must  speak;  and  for  the 
same  reason,  my  brother,  you  must  listen.  By  no  act  or 
word  has  Dunwoodie  ever  induced  me  to  believe  he 
wished  me  more  than  a  friend:  nay,  latterly,  I  have  had 
the  burning  shame  of  thinking  that  he  avoided  my 
presence. ' ' 

"Would  he  dare?"  said  Singleton,  fiercely. 

"Peace,  my  brother,  and  listen,"  continued  Isabella, 
rousing  herself  with  an  effort  that  was  final;  "here  is  the 
innocent,  the  justifiable  cause.  We  are  both  motherless; 
but  that  aunt — that  mild,  plain-hearted,  observing  aunt, 
has  given  you  the  victory.  Oh!  how  much  she  loses,  who 
loses  a  female  guardian  to  her  youth.  I  have  exhibited 
those  feelings  which  you  have  been  taught  to  repress. 
After  this,  can  I  wish  to  live?" 

"Isabella!  my  poor  Isabella!  you  wander  in  your  mind. " 

"But  one  word  more — for  I  feel  that  blood,  which  ever 
flowed  too  swiftly,  rushing  where  nature  never  intended 
it  to  go.  Woman  must  be  sought  to  be  prized;  her  life 
is  one  of  concealed  emotions;  blessed  are  they  whose  early 
impressions  make  the  task  free  from  hypocrisy,  for  such 
only  can  be  happy  with  men  like — like  Dunwoodie." 
Her  voice  failed,  and  she  sank  back  on  her  pillow  in 
silence.  The  cry  of  Singleton  brought  the  rest  of  the 
party  to  her  bedside;  but  death  was  already  upon  her 
countenance;  her  remaining  strength  just  sufficed  to  reach 
the  hand  of  George,  and  pressing  it  to  her  bosom  for  a 


296  THE   SPY 

moment,  she  relinquished  her  grasp,  and,  with  a  slight 
convulsion,  expired. 

Frances  Wharton  had  thought  that  fate  had  done  its 
worst,  in  endangering  the  life  of  her  brother,  and 
destroying  the  reason  of  her  sister;  but  the  relief  con 
veyed  by  the  dying  declaration  of  Isabella  taught  her  that 
another  sorrow  had  aided  in  loading  her  heart  with  grief. 
She  saw  the  whole  truth  at  a  glance;  nor  was  the  manly 
delicacy  of  Dunwoodie  lost  upon  her — everything  tended 
to  raise  him  in  her  estimation;  and,  for  mourning  that 
duty  and  pride  had  induced  her  to  strive  to  think  less  of 
him,  she  was  compelled  to  substitute  regret  that  her  own 
act  had  driven  him  from  her  in  sorrow,  if  not  in  despera 
tion.  It  is  not  in  the  nature  of  youth,  however,  to 
despair;  and  Frances  knew  a  secret  joy  in  the  midst  of 
their  distress,  that  gave  a  new  spring  to  her  existence. 

The  sun  broke  forth,  on  the  morning  that  succeeded 
this  night  of  desolation,  in  unclouded  lustre,  and  seemed 
to  mock  the  petty  sorrows  of  those  who  received  his  rays. 

Lawton  had  early  ordered  his  steed,  and  was  ready  to 
mount  as  the  first  burst  of  light  broke  over  the  hills. 
His  orders  were  already  given,  and  the  trooper  threw  his 
leg  across  the  saddle,  in  silence;  and,  casting  a  glance  of 
fierce  chagrin  at  the  narrow  space  that  had  favored  the 
flight  of  the  Skinner,  he  gave  Roanoke  the  rein,  and 
moved  slowly  towards  the  valley. 

The  stillness  of  death  pervaded  the  road,  nor  was  there 
a  single  vestige  of  the  scenes  of  the  night  to  tarnish  the 
liveliness  of  a  glorious  morn.  Struck  with  the  contrast 
between  man  and  nature,  the  fearless  trooper  rode  by 
each  pass  of  danger,  regardless  of  what  might  happen; 
nor  did  he  rouse  himself  from  his  musing,  until  the  noble 
charger,  snuffing  the  morning  air,  greeted  the  steeds  of 
the  guard  under  Sergeant  Hollister. 

Here,  indeed,  was  to  be  seen  sad  evidence  of  the  mid 
night  fray,  but  the  trooper  glanced  his  eye  over  it  with 
the  coolness  of  one  accustomed  to  such  sights.  Without 
wasting  the  moments  in  useless  regrets,  he  proceeded,  at 
once,  to  business. 

"Have  you  seen  anything?"  he  demanded  of  the 
orderly. 


THE   SPY  297 

"Nothing,  sir,  that  we  dared  to  charge  upon, "  returned 
Hollister;  "but  we  mounted  once,  at  the  report  of  distant 
fire-arms. ' ' 

"'Tis  well,"  said  Lawton,  gloomily.  "Ah!  Hollister, 
I  would  give  the  animal  I  ride  to  have  had  your  single 
arm  between  the  wretch  who  drew  that  trigger  and  these 
useless  rocks,  which  overhang  every  bit  of  ground,  as  if 
they  grudged  pasture  to  a  single  hoof." 

"Under  the  light  of  day,  and  charging  man  to  man,  I 
am  as  good  as  another;  but  I  can't  say  that  I'm  overfond 
of  fighting  with  those  that  neither  steel  nor  lead  can 
bring  down." 

"What  silly  crotchet  is  uppermost,  now,  in  that  mysti 
fied  brain  of  thine,  Deacon  Hollister?" 

"I  like  not  the  dark  object  that  has  been  manoeuvring 
in  the  skirt  of  the  wood  since  the  first  dawn  of  day;  and 
twice,  during  the  night,  it  was  seen  marching  across  the 
firelight,  no  doubt  with  evil  intent." 

"Is  it  yon  ball  of  black,  at  the  foot  of  the  rock-maple, 
that  you  mean?  In  truth  it  moves." 

"But  without  mortal  motion,"  said  the  sergeant, 
regarding  it  with  awful  reverence:  "it  glides  along,  but 
no  feet  have  been  seen  by  any  who  watch  here." 

"Had  it  wings,"  cried  Lawton,  "it  is  mine;  stand 
fast,  until  I  join."  The  words  were  hardly  uttered  be 
fore  Roanoke  was  flying  across  the  plain,  and  apparently 
verifying  the  boast  of  his  master. 

"Those  cursed  rocks!"  ejaculated  the  trooper,  as  he 
saw  the  object  of  his  pursuit  approaching  the  hill-side; 
but,  either  from  want  of  practice  or  from  terror,  it 
passed  the  obvious  shelter  they  offered,  and  fled  into  the 
open  plain. 

"I  have  you,  man  or  devil!"  shouted  Lawton,  whirling 
his  sabre  from  its  scabbard.  "Halt,  and  take  quarter!" 

His  proposition  was  apparently  acceded  to;  for,  at  the 
sound  of  his  powerful  voice,  the  figure  sank  upon  the 
ground,  exhibiting  a  shapeless  ball  of  black,  without  life 
or  motion. 

"What  have  we  here?"  cried  Lawton,  drawing  up  by 
its  side;  "a  gala  suit  of  the  good  maiden,  Jeanette  Pey 
ton,  wandering  around  its  birthplace,  or  searching  in 


298  THE   SPY 

vain  for  its  discomfited  mistress?"  He  leaned  forward 
in  his  stirrups,  and  placing  the  point  of  his  sword  under 
the  silken  garment,  by  throwing  aside  the  covering,  dis 
covered  part  of  the  form  of  the  reverend  gentleman  who 
had  fled  from  the  Locusts,  the  evening  before,  in  his 
robes  of  office. 

"In  truth,  Hollister  had  some  ground  for  his  alarm;  an 
army  chaplain  is,  at  any  time,  a  terror  to  a  troop  of 
horse. ' ' 

The  clergyman  had  collected  enough  of  his  disturbed 
faculties  to  discover  that  it  was  a  face  he  knew,  and 
somewhat  disconcerted  at  the  terror  he  had  manifested, 
and  the  indecent  attitude  in  which  he  had  been  found,  he 
endeavored  to  rise,  and  offer  some  explanation.  Lawton 
received  his  apologies  good-humoredly,  if  not  with  much 
faith  in  their  truth;  and,  after  a  short  communication 
upon  the  state  of  the  valley,  the  trooper  courteously 
alighted,  and  they  proceeded  towards  the  guard. 

"I  am  so  little  acquainted,  sir,  with  the  rebel  uniform, 
that  I  really  was  unable  to  distinguish  whether  those 
men,  whom  you  say  are  your  own,  did  or  did  not  belong 
to  the  gang  of  marauders. ' ' 

"Apology,  sir,  is  unnecessary,"  replied  the  trooper, 
curling  his  lip;  "it  is  not  your  task,  as  a  minister  of 
God,  to  take  note  of  the  facings  of  a  coat.  The  standard 
under  which  you  serve  is  acknowledged  by  us  all." 

"I  serve  under  the  standard  of  his  gracious  Majesty, 
George  III.,"  returned  the  priest,  wiping  the  cold  sweat 
from  his  brow;  "but  really  the  idea  of  being  scalped  has 
a  strong  tendency  to  unman  a  new-beginner,  like  myself." 

"Scalped!"  echoed  Lawton,  stopping  short  in  his  walk; 
then  recollecting  himself,  he  added,  with  composure,  "if 
it  is  to  Dunwoodie's  squadron  of  Virginia  light  dragoons 
that  you  allude,  it  may  be  well  to  inform  you  that  they 
generally  take  a  bit  of  the  skull  with  the  skin." 

"Oh!  I  can  have  no  apprehensions  of  gentlemen  of  your 
appearance,"  said  the  divine,  with  a  smirk;  "it  is  the 
natives  that  I  apprehend." 

"Natives!  I  have  the  honor  to  be  one,  I  do  assure 
you,  sir." 

"Nay,  I  beg  that  I  may  be  understood — I  mean  the 


THE   SPY  299 

Indians;  they  who  do  nothing  but  rob,  and  murder,  and 
destroy. ' ' 

"And  scalp!" 

"Yes,  sir,  and  scalp  too,"  continued  the  clergyman, 
eying  his  companion  a  little  suspiciously;  "the  copper 
colored,  savage  Indians." 

"And  did  you  expect  to  meet  those  nose-jewelled  gen 
try  in  the  neutral  ground?" 

"Certainly;  we  understand  in  England  that  the  inte 
rior  swarms  with  them." 

"And  call  you  this  the  interior  of  America?"  cried 
Lawton,  again  halting,  and  staring  the  other  in  the  face, 
with  a  surprise  too  naturally  expressed  to  be  counter 
feited. 

"Surely,  sir,  I  conceive  myself  to  be  in  the  in 
terior." 

"Attend,"  said  Lawton,  pointing  towards  the  east; 
"see  you  not  that  broad  sheet  of  water  which  the  eye 
cannot  compass?  thither  lies  the  England  you  deem  wor 
thy  to  hold  dominion  over  half  the  world.  See  you  the 
land  of  your  nativity?" 

"'Tis  impossible  to  behold  objects  at  a  distance  of  three 
thousand  miles!"  exclaimed  the  wondering  priest,  a  lit 
tle  suspicious  of  his  companion's  sanity. 

"No,  what  a  pity  it  is  that  the  powers  of  man  are  not 
equal  to  his  ambition.  Now  turn  your  eyes  westward; 
observe  that  vast  expanse  of  water  which  rolls  between 
the  shores  of  America  and  China." 

"I  see  nothing  but  land,"  said  the  trembling  priest; 
"there  is  no  water  to  be  seen." 

"'Tis  impossible  to  behold  objects  at  a  distance  of 
three  thousand  miles!"  repeated  Lawton,  pursuing  his 
walk:  "if  you  apprehend  the  savages,  seek  them  in  the 
ranks  of  your  prince.  Rum  and  gold  have  preserved 
their  loyalty." 

"Nothing  is  more  probable  than  my  being  deceived," 
said  the  man  of  peace,  casting  furtive  glances  at  the  co 
lossal  stature  and  whiskered  front  of  his  companion; 
"but  the  rumors  we  have  at  home,  and  the  uncertainty 
of  meeting  with  such  an  enemy  as  yourself,  induced  me 
to  fly  at  your  approach." 


300  THE   SPY 

"'Twas  not  judiciously  determined,"  said  the  trooper, 
"as  Roanoke  has  the  heels  of  you  greatly;  and  flying 
from  Scylla,  you  were  liable  to  encounter  Charybdis. 
Those  woods  and  rocks  cover  the  very  enemies  you  dread." 

"The  savages!"  exclaimed  the  divine,  instinctively 
placing  the  trooper  in  the  rear. 

"More  than  savages;  men  who,  under  the  guise  of 
patriotism  prowl  through  the  community,  with  a  thirst 
for  plunder  that  is  unsatiable,  and  a  love  of  cruelty  that 
mocks  the  ingenuity  of  the  Indian — fellows  whose  mouths 
are  filled  with  liberty  and  equality,  and  whose  hearts 
are  overflowing  with  cupidity  and  gall — gentlemen  they 
are  ycleped  the  Skinners." 

"I  have  heard  them  mentioned  in  our  army,"  said  the 
frightened  divine,  "and,  had  thought  them  to  be  the 
aborigines." 

"You  did  the  savages  injustice." 

They  now  approached  the  spot  occupied  by  Hollister, 
who  witnessed  with  surprise  the  character  of  the  prisoner 
made  by  his  captain.  Lawton  gave  his  orders,  and  the 
men  immediately  commenced  securing  and  removing 
such  articles  of  furniture  as  were  thought  worthy  of  the 
trouble;  and  the  captain,  with  his  reverend  associate, 
who  was  mounted  on  a  mettled  horse,  returned  to  the 
quarters  of  the  troop. 

It  was  the  wish  of  Singleton  that  the  remains  of  his 
sister  should  be  conveyed  to  the  post  commanded  by  his 
father,  and  preparations  were  early  made  to  this  effect. 
The  wounded  British  were  placed  under  the  control  of  the 
chaplain;  and  towards  the  middle  of  the  day  Lawton  saw 
all  the  arrangements  so  far  completed,  as  to  render  it 
probable  that  in  a  few  hours  he  would  be  left,  with  his 
small  party,  in  undisturbed  possession  of  the  Corners. 

While  leaning  in  the  doorway,  gazing  in  moody  silence 
at  the  ground  which  had  been  the  scene  of  the  last 
night's  chase,  his  ear  caught  the  sound  of  a  horse,  and 
the  next  moment  a  dragoon  of  his  own  troop  appeared 
dashing  up  the  road,  as  if  on  business  of  the  last  impor 
tance.  The  steed  was  foaming,  and  the  rider  had  the 
appearance  of  having  done  a  day's  service.  Without 
speaking,  he  placed  a  letter  in  the  hand  of  Lawton,  and 


THE   SPY  301 

led   his   charger  to   the   stable.     The  trooper  knew  the 
hand  of  the  major,  and  ran  his  eye  over  the  following: 

"I  rejoice  it  is  the  order  of  Washington  that  the  fam 
ily  of  the  Locusts  are  to  be  removed  above  the  Highlands. 
They  are  to  be  admitted  to  the  society  of  Captain  Whar- 
ton,  who  waits  only  for  their  testimony  to  be  tried.  You 
will  communicate  this  order,  and  with  proper  delicacy  I 
do  not  doubt.  The  English  are  moving  up  the  river;  and 
the  moment  you  see  the  Whartons  in  safety,  break  up 
and  join  your  troop.  There  will  be  good  service  to  be 
done  when  we  meet,  as  Sir  Henry  is  reported  to  have  sent 
out  a  real  soldier  in  command.  Reports  must  be  made 
to  the  commandant  at  Peekskill,  for  Colonel  Singleton  is 
withdrawn  to  headquarters,  to  preside  over  the  inquiry 
upon  poor  Wharton.  Fresh  orders  have  been  sent  to  hang 
the  peddler  if  we  can  take  him,  but  they  are  not  from  the 
commander-in-chief.  Detail  a  small  guard  with  the 
ladies,  and  get  into  the  saddle  as  soon  as  possible. 

"Yours  sincerely, 

"PEYTON  DUNWOODIE." 

This  communication  entirely  changed  the  whole  ar 
rangement.  There  was  no  longer  any  motive  for  remov 
ing  the  body  of  Isabella,  since  her  father  was  no  longer 
with  his  command,  and  Singleton  reluctantly  acquiesced 
in  an  immediate  interment.  A  retired  and  lovely  spot  was 
selected,  near  the  foot  of  the  adjacent  rocks,  and  such 
rude  preparations  were  made  as. the  time  and  the  situa 
tion  of  the  country  permitted.  A  few  of  the  neighbor 
ing  inhabitants  collected  from  curiosity  and  interest,  and 
Miss  Peyton  and  Frances  wept  in  sincerity  over  her 
grave.  The  solemn  offices  of  the  church  were  performed 
by  the  minister,  who  had  so  lately  stood  forth  to  officiate 
in  another  and  very  different  duty;  and  Lawton  bent  his 
head,  and  passed  his  hand  across  his  brow,  while  the 
words  that  accompanied  the  first  clod  were  uttered. 

A  new  stimulus  was  given  to  the  Whartons  by  the 
intelligence  conveyed  in  the  letter  of  Dunwoodie;  and 
Caesar,  with  his  horses,  was  once  more  put  in  requisition. 
The  relics  of  the  property  were  entrusted  to  a  neighbor, 


302  THE   SPY 

in  whom  they  had  confidence;  and,  accompanied  by  the 
unconscious  Sarah,  and  attended  by  four  dragoons  and 
all  of  the  American  wounded,  Mr.  Wharton's  party  took 
their  departure.  They  were  speedily  followed  by  the 
English  chaplain,  with  his  countrymen,  who  were  con 
veyed  to  the  water-side,  where  a  vessel  was  in  waiting  to 
receive  them.  Lawton  joyfully  witnessed  these  move 
ments;  and  as  soon  as  the  latter  were  out  of  sight,  he 
ordered  his  own  bugle  to  sound.  Everything  was  in 
stantly  in  motion.  The  mare  of  Mrs.  Flanagan  was  again 
fastened  to  the  cart;  Dr.  Sitgreaves  exhibited  his  shape 
less  form  once  more  on  horseback;  and  the  trooper  ap 
peared  in  the  saddle,  rejoicing  in  his  emancipation. 

The  word  to  march  was  given;  and  Lawton,  throwing 
a  look  of  sullen  ferocity  at  the  place  of  the  Skinner's  con 
cealment,  and  another  of  melancholy  regret  towards  the 
grave  of  Isabella,  led  the  way,  accompanied  by  the  sur 
geon  in  a  brown  study;  while  Sergeant  Hollister  and 
Betty  brought  up  the  rear,  leaving  a  fresh  southerly  wind 
to  whistle  through  the  open  doors  and  broken  windows  of 
the  "Hotel  Flanagan,"  where  the  laugh  of  hilarity,  the 
joke  of  the  hardy  partisan,  and  the  lamentations  of  the 
sorrowing,  had  so  lately  echoed. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

*'No  vernal  blooms  their  torpid  rock8  array, 
But  winter,  lingering,  chills  the  lap  of  May ; 
No  zephyr  fondly  sues  the  mountain's  breast. 
But  meteors  glare,  and  stormy  glooms  invest." 

—GOLDSMITH. 

THE  roads  of  West-Chester  are,  at  this  hour,  below  the 
improvements  of  the  country.  Their  condition  at  the 
time  of  this  tale  has  already  been  alluded  to  in  these 
pages,  and  the  reader  will,  therefore,  easily  imagine  the 
task  assumed  by  Caasar,  when  he  undertook  to  guide 
the  translated  chariot  of  the  English  prelate  through  their 
windings,  into  one  of  the  less  frequent  passes  of  the 
Highlands  of  the  Hudson. 

While  Caesar  and  his  steeds  were  contending  with  these 
difficulties,  the  inmates  of  the  carriage  were  too  much 
engrossed  with  their  own  cares  to  attend  to  those  who 
served  them.  The  mind  of  Sarah  had  ceased  to  wander 
so  wildly  as  at  first;  but  at  every  advance  that  she  made 
towards  reason,  she  seemed  to  retire  a  step  from  anima 
tion;  from  being  excited  and  flighty,  she  was  gradually 
becoming  moody  and  melancholy.  There  were  moments, 
indeed,  when  her  anxious  companions  thought  that  they 
could  discern  marks  of  recollection;  but  the  expression  of 
exquisite  woe  that  accompanied  these  transient  gleams  of 
reason,  forced  them  to  the  dreadful  alternative  of  wish 
ing  that  she  might  forever  be  spared  the  agony  of 
thought.  The  day's  march  was  performed  chiefly  in 
silence,  and  the  party  found  shelter  for  the  night  in 
different  farm-houses. 

The  following  morning  the  cavalcade  dispersed.  The 
wounded  diverged  towards  the  river,  with  the  intention 
of  taking  water  at  Peekskill,  in  order  to  be  transported 
to  the  hospitals  of  the  American  army  above.  The  litter 
of  Singleton  was  conveyed  to  a  part  of  the  Highlands 

303 


804  THE  SPY 

where  his  father  held  his  quarters,  and  where  it  was 
intended  that  the  youth  should  complete  his  cure;  the 
carriage  of  Mr.  Wharton,  accompanied  by  a  wagon  con 
veying  the  housekeeper  and  what  baggage  had  been 
saved,  and  could  be  transported,  resumed  its  route 
towards  the  place  where  Henry  Wharton  was  held  in 
duress,  and  where  he  only  waited  their  arrival  to  be  put 
on  trial  for  his  life. 

The  country  which  lies  between  the  waters  of  the  Hud 
son  and  Long  Island  Sound,  is,  for  the  first  forty  miles 
from  their  junction,  a  succession  of  hills  and  dales.  The 
land  bordering  on  the  latter  then  becomes  less  abrupt, 
and  gradually  assumes  a  milder  appearance,  until  it 
finally  melts  into  the  lovely  plains  and  meadows  of  the 
Connecticut.  But  as  you  approach  the  Hudson,  the 
rugged  aspect  increases,  until  you  at  length  meet  with 
the  formidable  barrier  of  the  Highlands.  Here  the  neu 
tral  ground  ceased.  The  royal  army  held  the  two  points 
of  land  that  commanded  the  southern  entrance  of  the 
river  into  the  mountains;  but  all  the  remaining  passes 
were  guarded  by  the  Americans. 

We  have  already  stated  that  the  pickets  of  the  conti 
nental  army  were  sometimes  pushed  low  into  the  country, 
and  that  the  hamlet  of  the  White  Plains  was  occasionally 
maintained  by  parties  of  its  troops.  At  other  times, 
the  advanced  guards  were  withdrawn  to  the  northern 
extremity  of  the  country,  and,  as  has  been  shown,  the 
intermediate  country  was  abandoned  to  the  ravages  of 
the  miscreants  who  plundered  between  both  armies,  serv 
ing  neither. 

The  road  taken  by  our  party  was  not  the  one  that  com 
municates  between  the  two  principal  cities  of  the  State, 
but  was  a  retired  and  unfrequented  pass,  that  to  this 
hour  is  but  little  known,  and  which,  entering  the  hills 
near  the  eastern  boundary,  emerges  into  the  plain  above, 
many  miles  from  the  Hudson. 

It  would  have  been  impossible  for  the  tired  steeds  of 
Mr.  Wharton  to  drag  the  heavy  chariot  up  the  lengthened 
and  steep  ascents  which  now  lay  before  them ;  and  a  pair 
of  country  horses  were  procured,  with  but  little  regard 
to  their  owner's  wishes,  by  the  two  dragoons  who  still 


THE   SPY  305 

continued  to  accompany  the  party.  With  their  assist 
ance,  Caesar  was  enabled  to  advance,  by  slow  and  toilsome 
steps,  into  the  bosom  of  the  hills.  Willing  to  relieve  her 
own  melancholy  by  breathing  a  fresher  air,  and  also  to 
lessen  the  weight,  Frances  alighted  as  they  reached  the 
foot  of  the  mountain.  She  found  that  Katy  had  made 
similar  preparations,  with  the  like  intention  of  walking 
to  the  summit.  It  was  near  the  setting  of  the  sun,  and, 
from  the  top  of  the  mountain,  their  guard  had  declared 
that  the  end  of  their  journey  might  be  discerned. 
Frances  moved  forward  with  the  elastic  step  of  youth; 
and,  followed  by  the  housekeeper  at  a  little  distance,  she 
soon  lost  sight  of  the  sluggish  carriage,  that  was  slowly 
toiling  up  the  hill,  occasionally  halting  to  allow  the  cattle 
to  breathe. 

"Oh,  Miss  Fanny,  what  dreadful  times  these  be!"  said 
Katy,  when  they  paused  for  breath  themselves;  "I  know'd 
that  calamity  was  about  to  befall,  ever  sin'  the  streak  of 
blood  was  seen  in  the  clouds." 

"There  has  been  blood  upon  earth,  Katy,  though  but 
little  is  ever  seen  in  the  clouds." 

"Not  blood  in  the  clouds!"  echoed  the  housekeeper; 
"yes,  that  there  has,  often,  and  comets  with  fiery,  smok 
ing  tails.  Didn't  people  see  armed  men  in  the  heavens, 
the  year  the  war  began?  and,  the  night  before  the  battle 
of  the  Plains,  wasn't  there  thunder,  like  the  cannon 
themselves?  Ah!  Miss  Fanny,  I'm  fearful  that  no  good 
can  follow  rebellion  against  the  Lord's  anointed!" 

"These  events  are  certainly  dreadful,"  returned 
Frances,  "and  enough  to  sicken  the  stoutest  heart.  But 
what  can  be  done,  Katy?  Gallant  and  independent  men 
are  unwilling  to  submit  to  oppression;  and  I  am  fearful 
that  such  scenes  are  but  too  common  in  war. ' ' 

"If  I  could  but  see  anything  to  fight  about,"  said 
Katy,  renewing  her  walk  as  the  young  lady  proceeded,  "I 
shouldn't  mind  it  so  much.  'Twas  said  the  king  wanted 
all  the  tea  for  his  own  family,  at  one  time;  and  then 
again,  that  he  meant  the  colonies  should  pay  over  to  him 
all  their  earnings.  Now  this  is  matter  enough  to  fight 
about — for  I'm  sure  that  no  one,  however  he  may  be  lord 
or  king,  has  a  right  to  the  hard  earnings  of  another. 
20 


306  THE  SPY 

Then  it  was  all  contradicted,  and  some  said  Washington 
wanted  to  be  king  himself;  so  that,  between  the  two,  one 
doesn't  know  which  to  believe." 

"Believe  neither — for  neither  is  true.  I  do  not  pre 
tend  to  understand,  myself,  all  the  merits  of  this  war, 
Katy;  but  to  me  it  seems  unnatural,  that  a  country  like 
this  should  be  ruled  by  another  so  distant  as  England." 

"So  I  have  heard  Harvey  say  to  his  father,  that  is 
dead  and  in  his  grave,"  returned  Katy,  approaching 
nearer  to  the  young  lady  and  lowering  her  voice.  "Many 
is  the  good  time  that  I've  listened  to  them  talking,  when 
all  the  neighborhood  was  asleep;  and  such  conversations, 
Miss  Fanny,  that  you  can  have  no  idea  on! — Well,  to  say 
the  truth,  Harvey  was  a  mystified  body,  and  he  was  like 
the  winds  in  the  good  book;  no  one  could  tell  whence  he 
came,  or  whither  he  went. ' ' 

Frances  glanced  her  eye  at  her  companion  with  an 
apparent  desire  to  hear  more. 

"There  are  rumors  abroad  relative  to  the  character  of 
Harvey,"  she  said,  "that  I  should  be  sorry  were  true." 

"'Tis  a  disparagement,  every  word  on't,"  cried  Katy, 
vehemently;  "Harvey  had  no  more  dealings  with  Beelze 
bub  than  you  or  I  had,  I'm  sure  if  Harvey  had  sold  him 
self,  he  would  take  care  to  be  better  paid;  though,  to 
speak  the  truth,  he  was  always  a  wasteful  and  disregard- 
ful  man." 

"Nay,  nay,"  returned  the  smiling  Frances,  "I  have  no 
such  injurious  suspicion  of  him;  but  has  he  not  sold  him 
self  to  an  earthly  prince — one  too  much  attached  to  the 
interests  of  his  native  island  to  be  always  just  to  this 
country?" 

"To  the  king's  majesty!"  replied  Katy.  "Why,  Miss 
Fanny,  your  own  brother  that's  in  jail  serves  King 
George." 

"True,"  said  Frances,  "but  not  in  secret — openly,  man 
fully,  and  bravely." 

"'Tis  said  he  is  a  spy,  and  why  ain't  one  spy  as  bad  as 
another?" 

"'Tis  untrue;  no  act  of  deception  is  worthy  of  my 
brother;  nor  of  any  would  he  be  guilty,  for  so  base  a 
purpose  as  gain,  or  promotion." 


THE   SPY  307 

"Well,  I'm  sure,"  said  Katy,  a  little  appalled  at  the 
manner  of  the  young  lady,  "if  a  body  does  the  work,  he 
should  be  paid  for  it.  Harvey  is  by  no  means  particular 
about  getting  his  lawful  dues;  and  I  dar'st  to  say,  if  the 
truth  was  forthcoming,  King  George  owes  him  money 
this  very  minute." 

"Then  you  acknowledge  his  connection  with  the  British 
army, "  said  Frances;  "I  confess  there  have  been  mo 
ments  when  I  have  thought  differently." 

"Lord,  Miss  Fanny,  Harvey  is  a  man  that  no  calcula 
tion  can  be  made  on.  Though  I  lived  in  his  house  for  a 
long  concourse  of  years,  I  have  never  known  whether  he 
belonged  above  or  below.1  The  time  that  Burg'yne  was 
taken  he  came  home,  and  there  was  great  doings  between 
him  and  the  old  gentleman,  but  for  the  life  I  couldn't 
tell  if  'twas  joy  or  grief.  Then,  here,  the  other  day, 
when  the  great  British  general — I'm  sure  I  have  been 
so  flurried  with  losses  and  troubles,  that  I  forget  his 
name — 

"Andre,"  said  Frances. 

"Yes,  Ondree;  when  he  was  hanged,  acrost  the  Tappan, 
the  old  gentleman  was  near  hand  to  going  crazy  about  it, 
and  didn't  sleep  for  night  nor  day,  till  Harvey  got  back; 
and  then  his  money  was  mostly  golden  guineas;  but  the 
Skinners  took  it  all,  and  now  he  is  a  beggar,  or,  what's 
the  same  thing,  despisable  for  poverty  and  want." 

To  this  speech  Frances  made  no  reply,  but  continued 
her  walk  up  the  hill,  deeply  engaged  in  her  own  reflec 
tions.  The  allusion  to  Andre  had  recalled  her  thoughts 
to  the  situation  of  her  own  brother. 

They  soon  reached  the  highest  point  in  their  toilsome 
progress  to  the  summit,  and  Frances  seated  herself  on  a 
rock  to  rest  and  to  admire.  Immediately  at  her  feet 
lay  a  deep  dell,  but  little  altered  by  cultivation,  and  dark 
with  the  gloom  of  a  November  sunset.  Another  hill  rose 
opposite  to  the  place  where  she  sat,  at  no  great  distance, 
along  whose  rugged  sides  nothing  was  to  be  seen  but 
shapeless  rocks,  and  oaks  whose  stinted  growth  showed  a 
meagre  soil. 


1  The  American  party  was  called  the  party  belonging  "  above,"  and  the  British 
that  of  "below."    The  terms  had  reference  to  the  course  of  the  Hudson. 


308  THE   SPY 

To  be  seen  in  their  perfection,  the  Highlands  must  be 
passed  immediately  after  the  fall  of  the  leaf.  The  scene 
is  then  the  finest,  for  neither  the  scanty  foliage  which  the 
summer  lends  the  trees,  nor  the  snows  of  winter,  are 
present  to  conceal  the  minutest  objects  from  the  eye. 
Chilling  solitude  is  the  characteristic  of  the  scenery;  nor 
is  the  mind  at  liberty,  as  in  March,  to  look  forward  to  a 
renewed  vegetation  that  is  soon  to  check,  without  im 
proving,  the  view. 

The  day  had  been  cloudy  and  cool,  and  thin  fleecy 
clouds  hung  around  the  horizon,  often  promising  to  dis 
perse,  but  as  frequently  disappointing  Frances  in  the 
hope  of  catching  a  parting  gleam  from  the  setting  sun. 
At  length  a  solitary  gleam  struck  on  the  base  of  the 
mountain  on  which  she  was  gazing,  and  moved  gracefully 
up  its  side,  until  reaching  the  summit,  it  stood  for  a 
minute,  forming  a  crown  of  glory  to  the  sombre  pile. 
So  strong  were  the  rays,  that  what  was  before  indistinct 
now  clearly  opened  to  the  view.  With  a  feeling  of  awe 
at  being  thus  unexpectedly  admitted,  as  it  were,  into  the 
secrets  of  that  desert  place,  Frances  gazed  intently, 
until,  among  the  scattered  trees  and  fantastic  rocks, 
something  like  a  rude  structure  was  seen.  It  was  low, 
and  so  obscured  by  the  color  of  its  materials,  that  but  for 
its  roof,  and  the  glittering  of  a  window,  it  must  have 
escaped  her  notice.  While  yet  lost  in  the  astonishment 
created  by  discovering  a  habitation  in  such  a  spot,  on 
moving  her  eyes  she  perceived  another  object  that  in 
creased  her  wonder.  It  apparently  was  a  human  figure, 
but  of  singular  mould  and  unusual  deformity.  It  stood 
on  the  edge  of  a  rock,  a  little  above  the  hut,  and  it  was 
no  difficult  task  for  our  heroine  to  fancy  it  was  gazing 
at  the  vehicles  that  were  ascending  the  side  of  the  moun 
tain  beneath  her.  The  distance,  however,  was  too  great 
to  distinguish  with  precision.  After  looking  at  it  a 
moment  in  breathless  wonder,  Frances  had  just  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  it  was  ideal,  and  that  what  she  saw  was 
a  part  of  the  rock  itself,  when  the  object  moved  swiftly 
from  its  position,  and  glided  into  the  hut,  at  once 
removing  every  doubt  as  to  the  nature  of  either. 
Whether  it  was  owing  to  the  recent  conversation  that  she 


THE   SPY  309 

had  been  holding  with  Katy,  or  to  some  fancied  resem 
blance  that  she  discerned,  Frances  thought,  as  the  figure 
vanished  from  her  view,  that  it  bore  a  marked  likeness 
to  Birch,  moving  under  the  weight  of  his  pack.  She 
continued  to  gaze  towards  the  mysterious  residence,  when 
the  gleam  of  light  passed  away,  and  at  the  same  instant 
the  tones  of  a  bugle  rang  through  the  glens  and  hollows, 
and  were  re-echoed  in  every  direction.  Springing  on  her 
feet,  the  alarmed  girl  heard  the  trampling  of  horses,  and 
directly  a  party  in  the  well-known  uniform  of  the  Vir 
ginians  came  sweeping  round  the  point  of  a  rock  near 
her,  and  drew  up  at  a  short  distance.  Again  the  bugle 
sounded  a  lively  strain,  and  before  the  agitated  Frances 
had  time  to  rally  her  thoughts,  Dunwoodie  dashed  by  the 
party  of  dragoons,  threw  himself  from  his  charger,  and 
advanced  to  her  side. 

His  manner  was  earnest  and  interested,  but  in  a  slight 
degree  constrained.  In  a  few  words  he  explained'  that 
he  had  been  ordered  up,  with  a  party  of  Lawton's  men, 
in  the  absence  of  the  captain  himself,  to  attend  the  trial 
of  Henry,  which  was  fixed  for  the  morrow;  and  that, 
anxious  for  their  safety  in  the  rude  passes  of  the  moun 
tain,  he  had  ridden  a  mile  or  two  in  quest  of  the  trav 
ellers.  Frances  explained,  with  trembling  voice,  the 
reason  of  her  being  in  advance,  and  taught  him  momen 
tarily  to  expect  the  arrival  of  her  father.  The  constraint 
of  his  manner  had,  however  unwillingly  on  her  part, 
communicated  itself  to  her  own  deportment,  and  the 
approach  of  the  chariot  was  a  relief  to  both.  The  major 
handed  her  in,  spoke  a  few  words  of  encouragement  to 
Mr.  Wharton  and  Miss  Peyton,  and,  again  mounting,  led 
the  way  towards  the  plains  of  Fishkill,  which  broke  on 
their  sight,  on  turning  the  rock,  with  the  effect  of 
enchantment.  A  short  half-hour  brought  them  to  the 
door  of  the  farm-house  which  the  care  of  Dunwoodie  had 
already  prepared  for  their  reception,  and  where  Captain 
Wharton  was  anxiously  expecting  their  arrival. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

"These  limbs  are  strengthened  with  a  soldier's  toil. 
Nor  has  this  cheek  been  ever  blanched  with  fear — 
But  this  sad  tale  of  thine  enervates  all 
Within  me  that  I  once  could  boast  as  man  ; 
Chill  trembling-  agues  seize  upon  my  frame. 
And  tears  of  childish  sorrow  pour,  apace, 
Through  scarred  channels  that  were  marked  by  wounds." 

—Duo. 

THE  friends  of  Henry  Wharton  had  placed  so  much 
reliance  on  his  innocence,  that  they  were  unable  to  see 
the  full  danger  of  his  situation.  As  the  moment  of  trial, 
however,  approached,  the  uneasiness  of  the  youth  him 
self  increased ;  and  after  spending  most  of  the  night  with 
his  afflicted  family,  he  awoke,  on  the  following  morning, 
from  a  short  and  disturbed  slumber,  to  a  clearer  sense  of 
his  condition,  and  a  survey  of  the  means  that  were  to 
extricate  him  from  it  with  life.  The  rank  of  Andre,  and 
the  importance  of  the  measures  he  was  plotting,  together 
with  the  powerful  intercessions  that  had  been  made  in 
his  behalf,  occasioned  his  execution  to  be  stamped  with 
greater  notoriety  than  the  ordinary  events  of  the  war. 
But  spies  were  frequently  arrested ;  and  the  instances  that 
occurred  of  summary  punishment  for  this  crime  were 
numerous.  These  were  facts  that  were  well  known  to 
both  Dunwoodie  and  the  prisoner;  and  to  their  experi 
enced  judgments  the  preparations  for  the  trial  were  in 
deed  alarming.  Notwithstanding  their  apprehensions, 
they  succeeded  so  far  in  concealing  them,  that  neither 
Miss  Peyton  nor  Frances  was  aware  of  their  extent.  A 
strong  guard  was  stationed  in  the  outbuilding  of  the 
farm-house  where  the  prisoner  was  quartered,  and  sev 
eral  sentinels  watched  the  avenues  that  approached  the 
dwelling.  Another  was  constantly  near  the  room  of  the 
British  officer.  A  court  was  already  detailed  to  examine 
into  the  circumstances;  and  upon  their  decision  the  fate 
of  Henry  rested. 

310 


THE   SPY  311 

The  moment  at  length  arrived,  and  the  different  actors 
in  the  approaching  investigation  assembled.  Frances 
experienced  a  feeling  like  suffocation,  as,  after  taking 
her  seat  in  the  midst  of  her  family,  her  eyes  wandered 
over  the  group  who  were  thus  collected.  The  judges, 
three  in  number,  sat  by  themselves,  clad  in  the  vestments 
of  their  profession,  and  maintained  a  gravity  worthy  of 
the  occasion,  and  becoming  in  their  rank.  In  the  centre 
was  a  man  of  advanced  years,  and  whose  whole  exterior 
bore  the  stamp  of  early  and  long-tried  military  habits. 
This  was  the  president  of  the  court;  and  Frances,  after 
taking  a  hasty  and  unsatisfactory  view  of  his  associates, 
turned  to  his  benevolent  countenance  as  to  the  harbinger 
of  mercy  to  her  brother.  There  was  a  melting  and  sub 
dued  expression  in  the  features  of  the  veteran,  that, 
contrasted  with  the  rigid  decency  and  composure  of  the 
others,  could  not  fail  to  attract  her  notice.  His  attire 
wras  strictly  in  conformity  to  the  prescribed  rules  of  the 
service  to  which  he  belonged;  but  while  his  air  was  erect 
and  military,  his  fingers  trifled  with  a  kind  of  convulsive 
and  unconscious  motion,  with  a  bit  of  crape  that  en 
twined  the  hilt  of  the  sword  on  which  his  body  partly 
reclined,  and  which,  like  himself,  seemed  a  relic  of  older 
times.  There  were  the  workings  of  an  unquiet  soul 
within;  but  his  military  front  blended  awe  with  the  pity 
that  its  exhibition  excited.  His  associates  were  officers 
selected  from  the  eastern  troops,  who  held  the  fortresses 
of  West  Point  and  the  adjacent  passes;  they  were  men  who 
had  attained  the  meridian  of  life,  and  the  eye  sought  in 
vain  the  expression  of  any  passion  or  emotion  en  which  it 
might  seize  as  an  indication  of  human  infirmity.  In 
their  demeanor  there  was  a  mild,  but  a  grave,  intellectual 
reserve.  If  there  was  no  ferocity  nor  harshness  to  chill, 
neither  was  there  compassion  nor  interest  to  attract. 
They  were  men  who  had  long  acted  under  the  dominion 
of  a  prudent  reason,  and  whose  feelings  seemed  trained 
to  a  perfect  submission  to  their  judgments. 

Before  these  arbiters  of  his  fate  Henry  Wharton  was 
ushered  under  the  custody  of  armed  men.  A  profound 
and  awful  silence  succeeded  his  entrance,  and  the  blood 
of  Frances  chilled  as  she  noted  the  grave  character  of  the 


312  THE   SPY 

whole  proceedings.  There  was  but  little  of  pomp  in  the 
preparations,  to  impress  her  imagination;  but  the  re 
served,  businesslike  air  of  the  whole  scene  made  it  seem, 
indeed,  as  if  the  destinies  of  life  awaited  the  result. 
Two  of  the  judges  sat  in  grave  reserve,  fixing  their  in 
quiring  eyes  on  the  object  of  their  investigation;  but  the 
president  continued  gazing  around  with  uneasy,  convul 
sive  motions  of  the  muscles  of  the  face,  that  indicated  a 
restlessness  foreign  to  his  years  and  duty.  It  was  Colonel 
Singleton,  who,  but  the  day  before,  had  learned  the  fate 
of  Isabella,  but  who  stood  forth  in  the  discharge  of  a 
duty  that  his  country  required  at  his  hands.  The  silence, 
and  the  expectation  in  every  eye,  at  length  struck  him, 
and  making  an  effort  to  collect  himself,  he  spoke,  in  the 
tones  of  one  used  to  authority. 

"Bring  forth  the  prisoner,"  he  said,  with  a  wave  of 
the  hand. 

The  sentinels  dropped  the  points  of  their  bayonets 
towards  the  judges,  and  Henry  Wharton  advanced,  with  a 
firm  step,  into  the  centre  of  the  apartment.  All  was  now 
anxiety  and  eager  curiosity.  Frances  turned  for  a  mo 
ment  in  grateful  emotion,  as  the  deep  and  perturbed 
breathing  of  Dunwoodie  reached  her  ears;  but  her 
brother  again  concentrated  all  her  interest  in  one  feeling 
of  intense  care.  In  the  background  were  arranged  the 
inmates  of  the  family  who  owned  the  dwelling,  and  be 
hind  them,  again,  was  a  row  of  shining  faces  of  ebony, 
glistennig  with  pleased  wonder.  Amongst  these  was  the 
faded  lustre  of  Ceesar  Thompson's  countenance. 

"You  are  said,"  continued  the  president,  "to  be 
Henry  Wharton,  a  captain  in  his  Britannic  Majesty's 
60th  Regiment  of  Foot." 

"lam." 

"I  like  your  candor,  sir;  it  partakes  of  the  honorable 
feelings  of  a  soldier,  and  cannot  fail  to  impress  your 
judges  favorably. ' ' 

"It  would  be  prudent,"  said  one  of  his  companions, 
"to  advise  the  prisoner  that  he  is  bound  to  answer  no 
more  than  he  deems  necessary:  although  we  are  a  court 
of  martial  law,  yet,  in  this  respect,  we  own  the  princi 
ples  of  all  free  governments." 


THE  SPY  313 

A  nod  of  approbation  from  the  silent  members  was 
bestowed  on  this  remark,  and  the  president  proceeded 
with  caution,  referring  to  the  minutes  he  held  in  his 
hand. 

"It  is  an  accusation  against  you,  that,  being  an  officer 
of  the  enemy,  you  passed  the  pickets  of  the  American 
army  at  the  White  Plains,  in  disguise,  on  the  29th  of 
October  last,  whereby  you  are  suspected  of  views  hostile 
to  the  interests  of  America,  and  have  subjected  yourself 
to  the  punishment  of  a  spy." 

The  mild  but  steady  tones  of  the  speaker,  as  he  slowly 
repeated  the  substance  of  this  charge,  were  full  of  author 
ity.  The  accusation  was  so  plain,  the  facts  so  limited, 
the  proof  so  obvious,  and  the  penalty  so  well  established, 
that  escape  seemed  impossible.  But  Henry  replied,  with 
earnest  grace : 

"That  I  passed  your  pickets  in  disguise,  is  true; 
but- 

"Peace!"  interrupted  the  president;  "the  usages  of 
war  are  stern  enough  in  themselves;  you  need  not  aid 
them  to  your  own  condemnation." 

"The  prisoner  can  retract  that  declaration,  if  he 
please,"  remarked  another  judge.  "His  confession,  if 
taken,  goes  fully  to  prove  the  charge. ' ' 

"I  retract  nothing  that  is  true,"  said  Henry,  proudly. 

The  two  nameless  judges  heard  him  in  silent  compo 
sure,  yet  there  was  no  exultation  mingled  with  their 
gravity.  The  president  now  appeared,  however,  to  take 
new  interest  in  the  scene. 

"Your  sentiment  is  noble,  sir,"  he  said;  "I  only 
regret  that  a  youthful  soldier  should  so  far  be  misled  by 
loyalty  as  to  lend  himself  to  the  purposes  of  deceit." 

"Deceit!"  echoed  Wharton;  "I  thought  it  prudent  to 
guard  against  capture  from  my  enemies." 

"A  soldier,  Captain  Wharton,  should  never  meet  his 
enemy  but  openly,  and  with  arms  in  his  hands.  I  have 
served  two  kings  of  England,  as  I  now  serve  my  native 
land :  but  never  did  I  approach  a  foe,  unless  under  the 
light  of  the  sun,  and  with  honest  notice  that  an  enemy 
was  nigh." 

"You  are  at  liberty  to  explain  what  your  motives  were 


314  THE   SPY 

in  entering  the  ground  held  by  our  army  in  disguise," 
said  the  other  judge,  with  a  slight  movement  of  the  mus 
cles  of  his  mouth. 

"I  am  the  son  of  this  aged  man  before  you,"  continued 
Henry.  "It  was  to  visit  him  that  I  encountered  the  dan 
ger.  Besides,  the  country  below  is  seldom  held  by  your 
troops,  and  its  very  name  implies  a  right  to  either  party 
to  move  at  pleasure  over  its  territory. ' ' 

"Its  name,  as  a  neutral  ground,  is  unauthorized  by 
law;  it  is  an  appellation  that  originates  with  the  condi 
tion  of  the  country.  But  wherever  an  army  goes,  it 
carries  its  rights  along,  and  the  first  is  the  ability  to  pro 
tect  itself." 

"I  am  no  casuist,  sir,"  returned  the  youth;  "but  I  feel 
that  my  father  is  entitled  to  my  affection,  and  I  would 
encounter  greater  risks  to  prove  it  to  him  in  his  old 
age." 

"A  very  commendable  spirit,"  cried  the  veteran; 
"come,  gentlemen,  this  business  brightens.  I  confess,  at 
first,  it  was  very  bad,  but  no  man  can  censure  him  for 
desiring  to  see  his  parents. ' ' 

"And  have  you  proof  that  such  only  was  your  inten 
tion?" 

"Yes — here,"  said  Henry,  admitting  a  ray  of  hope; 
"here  is  proof — my  father,  my  sister,  Major  Dunwoodie, 
all  know  it." 

"Then,  indeed,"  returned  his  immovable  judge,  "we 
may  be  able  to  save  you.  It  would  be  well,  sir,  to  exam 
ine  further  into  this  business." 

"Certainly,"  said  the  president,  with  alacrity;  "let 
the  elder  Mr.  Wharton  approach  and  take  the  oath." 

The  father  made  an  effort  at  composure,  and,  advanc 
ing  with  a  feeble  step,  he  complied  with  the  necessary 
forms  of  the  court. 

"You  are  the  father  of  the  prisoner?"  said  Colonel 
Singleton,  in  a  subdued  voice,  after  pausing  a  moment  in 
respect  for  the  agitation  of  the  witness. 

"He  is  my  only  son." 

"And  what  do  you  know  of  his  visit  to  your  house,  on 
the  29th  day  of  October  last?" 

"He  came,  as  he  told  you,  to  see  me  and  his  sisters." 


THE   SPY  315 

"Was  he  in  disguise?"  asked  the  other  judge. 

"He  did  not  wear  the  uniform  of  the  60th." 

"To  see  his  sisters,  too!"  said  the  president  with  great 
emotion.  "Have  you  daughters,  sir?" 

"I  have  two — both  are  in  this  house." 

"Had  he  a  wig?"  interrupted  the  officer. 

"There  was  some  such  thing,  I  do  believe,  upon  his 
head." 

"And  how  long  had  you  been  separated?"  asked  the 
president. 

"One  year  and  two  months." 

"Did  he  wear  a  loose  great-coat  of  coarse  materials?" 
inquired  the  officer,  referring  to  the  paper  that  contained 
the  charges. 

"There  was  an  overcoat." 

"And  you  think  that  it  was  to  see  you,  only,  that  he 
came  out?" 

"Me,  and  my  daughters." 

"A  boy  of  spirit,"  whispered  the  president  to  his 
silent  comrade.  "I  see  but  little  harm  in  such  a  freak; 
'twas  imprudent,  but  then  it  was  kind." 

"Do  you  know  that  your  son  was  intrusted  with  no 
commission  from  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  and  that  the  visit  to 
you  was  not  merely  a  cloak  to  other  designs?" 

"How  can  I  know  it?"  said  Mr.  Wharton,  in  alarm; 
"would  Sir  Henry  intrust  me  with  such  a  business?" 

"Know  you  anything  of  this  pass?"  exhibiting  the 
paper  that  Dunwoodie  had  retained  when  Wharton  was 
taken. 

"Nothing — upon  my  honor,  nothing,"  cried  the  father, 
shrinking  from  the  paper  as  from  cqntagion. 

"On  your  oath?" 

"Nothing." 

"Have  you  other  testimony? — this  does  not  avail  you, 
Captain  Wharton.  You  have  been  taken  in  a  situation 
where  your  life  is  forfeited:  the  labor  of  proving  your 
innocence  rests  with  yourself.  Take  time  to  reflect,  and 
be  cool." 

There  was  a  frightful  calmness  in  the  manner  of  this 
judge  that  appalled  the  prisoner.  In  the  sympathy  of 
Colonel  Singleton,  he  could  easily  lose  sight  of  his  dan- 


316  THE   SPY 

ger;  but  the  obdurate  and  collected  air  of  the  others  was 
ominous  of  his  fate.  He  continued  silent,  casting  im 
ploring  glances  towards  his  friend.  Dunwoodie  under 
stood  the  appeal,  and  offered  himself  as  a  witness.  He 
was  sworn,  and  desired  to  relate  what  he  knew.  His 
statement  did  not  materially  alter  the  case,  and  Dun 
woodie  felt  that  it  could  not.  To  him  personally  but 
little  was  known,  and  that  little  rather  militated  against 
the  safety  of  Henry  than  otherwise.  His  account  was 
listened  to  in  silence,  and  the  significant  shake  of  the 
head  that  was  made  by  the  silent  member  spoke  too 
plainly  what  effect  it  had  produced. 

"Still  you  think  that  the  prisoner  had  no  other  object 
than  what  he  has  avowed?"  said  the  president,  when  he 
had  ended. 

"None  other,  I  will  pledge  my  life,"  cried  the  major 
with  fervor. 

"Will  you  swear  it?"  asked  the  immovable  judge. 

"How  can  I?  God  alone  can  tell  the  heart;  but  I  have 
known  this  gentleman  from  a  boy;  deceit  never  formed 
part  of  his  character.  He  is  above  it." 

"You  say  that  he  escaped,  and  was  retaken  in  open 
arms?"  said  the  president. 

"He  was;  nay,  he  received  a  wound  in  the  combat. 
You  see  he  yet  moves  his  arm  with  difficulty.  Would 
he,  think  you,  sir,  have  trusted  himself  where  he  could 
fall  again  into  our  hands,  unless  conscious  of  inno 
cence?" 

"Would  Andre  have  deserted  a  field  of  battle,  Major 
Dunwoodie,  had  he  encountered  such  an  event,  near 
Tarrytown?"  asked  his  deliberate  examiner.  "Is  it  not 
natural  to  youth  to  seek  glory?" 

"Do  you  call  this  glory?"  exclaimed  the  major:  "an 
ignominious  death,  and  a  tarnished  name." 

"Major  Dunwoodie,"  returned  the  other,  still  with 
inveterate  gravity,  "you  have  acted  nobly;  your  duty  has 
been  arduous  and  severe,  but  it  has  been  faithfully  and 
honorably  discharged;  ours  must  not  be  less  so." 

During  the  examination,  the  most  intense  interest  pre 
vailed  among  the  hearers.  With  that  kind  of  feeling 
which  could  not  separate  the  principle  from  the  cause, 


THE   SPY  317 

most  of  the  auditors  thought  that  if  Dunwoodie  failed  to 
move  the  hearts  of  Henry's  judges,  no  other  possessed 
the  power.  Caesar  thrust  his  misshapen  form  forward; 
and  his  features,  so  expressive  of  the  concern  he  felt,  and 
so  different  from  the  vacant  curiosity  pictured  in  the 
countenance  of  the  other  blacks,  caught  the  attention  of 
the  silent  judge.  For  the  first  time  he  spoke: 

"Let  that  black  be  brought  forward." 

It  was  too  late  to  retreat,  and  Caesar  found  himself 
confronted  with  a  row  of  rebel  officers,  before  he  knew 
what  was  uppermost  in  his  thoughts.  The  others  yielded 
the  examination  to  the  one  who  suggested  it,  and  using 
all  due  deliberation,  he  proceeded  accordingly. 

"You  know  the  prisoner?" 

"I  t'ink  he  ought,"  returned  the  black,  in  a  manner  as 
sententious  as  that  of  his  examiner. 

"Did  he  give  you  the  wig,  when  he  threw  it  aside?" 

"I  don't  want  'em,"  grumbled  Caesar;  "got  a  berry 
good  hair  heself." 

"Were  you  employed  in  carrying  any  letters  or  mes 
sages  while  Captain  Wharton  was  in  your  master's 
house?" 

"I  do  what  a  tell  me,"  returned  the  black. 

"But  what  did  they  tell  you  to  do?" 

"Sometime  a  one  t'ing — sometime  anoder." 

"Enough,"  said  Colonel  Singleton,  with  dignity;  "you 
have  the  noble  acknowledgment  of  a  gentleman,  what 
more  can  you  obtain  from  this  slave?  Captain  Wharton, 
you  perceive  the  unfortunate  impression  against  you. 
Have  you  other  testimony  to  adduce?" 

To  Henry  there  now  remained  but  little  hope;  his  con 
fidence  in  his  security  was  fast  ebbing,  but  with  an 
indefinite  expectation  of  assistance  from  the  loveliness  of 
his  sister,  he  fixed  an  earnest  gaze  on  the  pallid  features 
of  Frances.  She  arose,  and  with  a  tottering  step  moved 
towards  the  judges;  the  paleness  of  her  cheek  continued 
but  for  a  moment,  and  gave  place  to  a  flush  of  fire,  and 
with  a  light  but  firm  tread,  she  stood  before  them. 
Raising  her  hand  to  her  polished  forehead,  Frances  threw 
aside  her  exuberant  locks,  and  displayed  a  picture  of 
beauty  and  innocence  to  their  view  that  might  have 


313  THE  SPY 

moved  even  sterner  natures.  The  president  shrouded  his 
eyes  for  a  moment,  as  if  the  wild  eye  and  speaking  coun 
tenance  recalled  the  image  of  another.  The  movement 
was  transient,  and  recovering  himself,  he  said,  with  an 
earnestness  that  betrayed  his  secret  wishes: 

"To  you,  then,  your  brother  previously  communicated 
his  intention  of  paying  your  family  a  secret  visit." 

"No! — no! — "  said  Frances,  pressing  her  hand  on  her 
brain,  as  if  to  collect  her  thoughts;  "he  told  me  nothing 
— we  knew  not  of  the  visit  until  he  arrived;  but  can  it 
be  necessary  to  explain  to  gallant  men,  that  a  child  would 
incur  hazard  to  meet  his  only  parent,  and  that  in  times 
like  these,  and  in  a  situation  like  ours?" 

"But  was  this  the  first  time?  Did  he  never  even  talk 
of  doing  so  before?"  inquired  the  colonel,  leaning 
towards  her  with  paternal  interest. 

"Certainly — certainly,"  cried  Frances,  catching  the 
expression  of  his  own  benevolent  countenance.  "This  is 
but  the  fourth  of  his  visits." 

"I  knew  it!"  exclaimed  the  veteran,  rubbing  his 
hands  with  delight;  "an  adventurous,  warm-hearted  son 
— I  warrant  me,  gentleman,  a  fiery  soldier  in  the  field ! 
In  what  disguises  did  he  come?" 

"In  none,  for  none  were  then  necessary;  the  royal  troops 
covered  the  country,  and  gave  him  safe  passage." 

"And was  this  the  first  of  his  visits  out  of  the  uniform 
of  his  regiment?"  asked  the  colonel,  in  a  suppressed 
voice,  avoiding  the  penetrating  looks  of  his  companions. 

"Oh!  the  very  first,"  exclaimed  the  eager  girl;  "his 
first  offence,  I  do  assure  you,  if  offence  it  be." 

"But  you  wrote  him — you  urged  the  visit;  surely, 
young  lady,  you  wished  to  see  your  brother?"  added  the 
impatient  colonel. 

"That  we  wished  it,  and  prayed  for  it, — oh,  how  fer 
vently  we  prayed  for  it! — is  true;  but  to  have  held  com 
munion  with  the  royal  army  would  have  endangered  our 
father,  and  we  dared  not." 

"Did  he  leave  the  house  until  taken,  or  had  he  inter 
course  with  any  out  of  your  own  dwelling?" 

"With  none — no  one,  excepting  our  neighbor,  the  ped 
dler  Birch." 


THE   SPY  319 

"With  whom!"  exclaimed  the  colonel,  turning  pale, 
and  shrinking  as  from  the  sting  of  an  adder. 

Dunwoodie  groaned  aloud,  and  striking  his  head  with 
his  hand,  cried  in  piercing  tones,  "He  is  lost!"  and 
rushed  from  the  apartment. 

"But  Harvey  Birch,"  repeated  Frances,  gazing  wildly 
at  the  door  through  which  her  lover  had  disappeared. 

"Harvey  Birch!"  echoed  all  the  judges.  The  two  im 
movable  members  of  the  court  exchanged  looks,  and  threw 
an  inquisitive  glance  at  the  prisoner. 

"To  you,  gentlemen,  it  can  be  no  new  intelligence  to 
hear  that  Harvey  Birch  is  suspected  of  favoring  the 
royal  cause,"  said  Henry,  again  advancing  before  the 
judges;  "for  he  has  already  been  condemned  by  your 
tribunals  to  the  fate  that  I  now  see  awaits  myself.  I 
will  therefore  explain,  that  it  was  by  his  assistance  I  pro 
cured  the  disguise,  and  passed  your  pickets;  but  to  my 
dying  moments  and  with  my  dying  breath,  I  will  avow, 
that  my  intentions  were  as  pure  as  the  innocent  beings 
before  you." 

"Captain  Wharton, "  said  the  president,  solemnly,  "the 
enemies  of  American  liberty  have  made  mighty  and  subtle 
efforts  to  overthrow  our  power.  A  more  dangerous  man, 
for  his  means  and  education,  is  not  ranked  among  our 
foes  than  this  peddler  of  West-Chester.  He  is  a  spy — 
artful,  delusive,  and  penetrating,  beyond  the  abilities  of 
any  of  his  class.  Sir  Henry  could  not  do  better  than  to 
associate  him  with  the  officer  in  his  next  attempt.  He 
would  have  saved  Andre.  Indeed,  young  man,  this  is  a 
connection  that  may  prove  fatal  to  you!" 

The  honest  indignation  that  beamed  on  the  countenance 
of  the  aged  warrior  was  met  by  a  look  of  perfect  convic 
tion  on  the  part  of  his  comrades. 

"I  have  ruined  him!"  cried  Frances,  clasping  her 
hands  in  terror;  "do  you  desert  us?  then  he  is  lost, 
indeed!" 

"Forbear!  lovely  innocent,  forbear!"  said  the  colonel, 
with  strong  emotion;  "you  injure  none,  but  distress  us 
all." 

"Is  it  then  such  a  crime  to  possess  natural  affection?" 
said  Frances,  wildly;  "would  Washington — the  nobli  up- 


320 

right,  impartial  Washington,  judge  so  harshly?  delay, 
till  Washington  can  hear  his  tale." 

"It  is  impossible,"  said  the  president,  covering  his 
eyes,  as  if  to  hide  her  beauty  from  his  view. 

"Impossible!  oh!  but  for  a  week  suspend  your  judg 
ment.  On  my  knees  I  entreat  you,  as  you  will  expect 
mercy  yourself,  when  no  human  power  can  avail  you, 
give  him  but  a  day." 

"It  is  impossible,"  repeated  the  colonel,  in  a  voice  that 
was  nearly  choked;  "our  orders  are  peremptory,  and  too 
long  delay  has  been  given  already. ' ' 

He  turned  from  the  kneeling  suppliant,  but  could  not, 
or  would  not,  extricate  the  hand  that  she  grasped  with 
frenzied  fervor. 

"Remand  your  prisoner,"  said  one  of  the  judges  to  the 
officer  who  had  the  charge  of  Henry.  "Colonel  Single 
ton,  shall  we  withdraw?" 

"Singleton!  Singleton!"  echoed  Frances;  "thenyouare 
a  father,  and  know  how  to  pity  a  father's  woes:  you  can 
not,  will  not,  wound  a  heart  that  is  now  nearly  crushed. 
Hear  me,  Colonel  Singleton;  as  God  will  listen  to  your 
dying  prayers,  hear  me  and  spare  my  brother?" 

"Remove  her,"  said  the  colonel,  gently  endeavoring  to 
extricate  his  hand;  but  none  appeared  disposed  to  obey. 
Frances  eagerly  strove  to  read  the  expression  of  his 
averted  face,  and  resisted  all  his  efforts  to  retire. 

"Colonel  Singleton!  how  lately  was  your  own  son  in 
suffering  and  in  danger!  under  the  roof  of  my  father  he 
was  cherished — under  my  father's  roof  he  found  shelter 
and  protection.  Oh!  suppose  that  son  the  pride  of  your 
age,  the  solace  and  protection  of  your  infant  children, 
and  then  pronounce  my  brother  guilty  if  you  dare!" 

"What  right  has  Heath  to  make  an  executioner  of  me!" 
exclaimed  the  veteran  fiercely,  rising  with  a  face  flushed 
like  fire,  and  every  vein  and  artery  swollen  with  sup 
pressed  emotion.  "But  I  forget  myself;  come,  gentle 
men,  let  us  mount;  our  painful  duty  must  be  done." 

"Mount  not!  go  not!"  shrieked  Frances;  "can  you  tear 
a  son  from  his  parent — a  brother  from  his  sister,  so 
coldly?  Is  this  the  cause  I  have  so  ardently  loved?  Are 


THE   SPY  321 

these  the  men  that  I  have  been  taught  to  reverence?  But 
you  relent,  you  do  hear  me,  you  will  pity  and  forgive." 

"Lead  on,  gentlemen,"  said  the  colonel,  motioning 
towards  the  door,  and  erecting  himself  into  an  air  of 
military  grandeur,  in  the  vain  hope  of  quieting  his 
feelings. 

"Lead  not  on,  but  hear  me,"  cried  Frances,  grasping 
his  hand  convulsively;  "Colonel  Singleton,  you  are  a 
father! — pity — mercy — mercy  for  the  son!  mercy  for  the 
daughter!  Yes — you  had  a  daughter.  On  this  bosom 
she  poured  out  her  last  breath;  these  hands  closed  her 
eyes;  these  very  hands,  that  are  now  clasped  in  prayer, 
did  those  offices  for  her  that  you  condemn  my  poor,  poor 
brother,  to  require." 

One  mighty  emotion  the  veteran  struggled  with,  and 
quelled;  but  with  a  groan  that  shook  his  whole  frame. 
He  even  looked  around  in  conscious  pride  at  his  victory; 
but  a  second  burst  of  feeling  conquered.  His  head, 
white  with  the  frost  of  seventy  winters,  sunk  upon  the 
shoulder  of  the  frantic  suppliant.  The  sword  that  had 
been  his  companion  in  so  many  fields  of  blood  dropped 
from  his  nerveless  hand,  and  as  he  cried,  "May  God  bless 
you  for  the  deed!"  he  wept  aloud. 

Long  and  violent  was  the  indulgence  that  Colonel  Sin 
gleton  yielded  to  his  feelings.  On  recovering,  he  gave 
the  senseless  Frances  into  the  arms  of  her  aunt,  and,  turn 
ing  with  an  air  of  fortitude  to  his  comrades,  he  said: 

"Still,  gentlemen,  we  have  our  duty  as  officers  to  dis 
charge;  our  feelings  as  men  may  be  indulged  hereafter. 
What  is  your  pleasure  with  the  prisoner?" 

One  of  the  judges  placed  in  his  hand  a  written  sentence, 
that  he  had  prepared  while  the  colonel  was  engaged  with 
Frances,  and  declared  it  to  be  the  opinion  of  himself  and 
his  companion. 

It  briefly  stated  that  Henry  Wharton  had  been  detected 
in  passing  the  lines  of  the  American  army  as  a  spy,  and 
in  disguise.  That  thereby,  according  to  the  laws  of  war, 
he  was  liable  to  suffer  death,  and  that  this  court  adjudged 
him  to  the  penalty;  recommending  him  to  be  executed  by 
hanging,  before  nine  o'clock  on  the  following  morning. 

It  was  not  usual  to  inflict  capital  punishments,  even  on 
21 


322  THE  SPY 

the  enemy,  without  referring  the  case  to  the  commander- 
in-chief,  for  his  approbation;  or,  in  his  absence,  to  the 
officer  commanding  for  the  time  being.  But,  as  Wash 
ington  held  his  headquarters  at  New-Windsor,  on  the 
western  bank  of  the  Hudson,  sufficient  time  was  yet  be 
fore  them  to  receive  his  answer. 

"This  is  short  notice,"  said  the  veteran,  holding  the 
pen  in  his  hand,  in  a  suspense  that  had  no  object;  "not  a 
day  to  fit  one  so  young  for  heaven?" 

"The  royal  officers  gave  Hale1  but  an  hour,"  returned 
his  comrade;  "we  have  granted  the  usual  time.  But 
Washintgon  has  the  power  to  extend  it,  or  to  pardon. ' ' 

"Then  to  Washington  will  I  go,"  cried  the  colonel, 
returning  the  paper  with  his  signature;  "and  if  the 
services  of  an  old  man  like  me,  or  that  brave  boy  of 
mine,  entitle  me  to  his  ear,  I  will  yet  save  the  youth." 

So  saying,  he  departed,  full  of  his  generous  intentions 
in  favor  of  Henry  Wharton. 

The  sentence  of  the  court  was  communicated,  with 
proper  tenderness,  to  the  prisoner;  and  after  giving  a 
few  necessary  instructions  to  the  officer  in  command,  and 
despatching  a  courier  to  headquarters  with  their  report, 
the  remaining  judges  mounted,  and  rode  to  their  own 
quarters,  with  the  same  unmoved  exterior,  but  with  the 
consciousness  of  the  same  dispassionate  integrity,  that 
they  had  maintained  throughout  the  trial. 


1  An  American  officer  of  this  name  was  detected  within  the  British  lines,  in 
disguise,  in  search  of  military  information.  He  was  tried  and  executed,  as 
stated  in  the  text,  as  soon  as  the  preparations  could  be  made.  It  is  said  that  he 
was  reproached  under  the  gallows  with  dishonoring  the  rank  he  held  by  his  fate. 
"What  a  death  for  an  officer  to  die!"  said  one  of  his  captors.  "Gentlemen,  any 
death  is  honorable  when  a  man  dies  in  a  cause  like  that  of  America,"  was  his 
answer. 

Andre1  was  executed  amid  the  tears  of  his  enemies;  Hale  died  unpitied,  and 
with  reproaches  in  his  ears;  and  yet  one  was  the  victim  of  ambition,  and  the 
other  of  devotion  to  his  country.  Posterity  will  do  justice  between  them. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

"Have  you  no  countermand  for  Claudio  yet, 
But  he  must  die  to-morrow?" 

— MEASURE:  FOR  MEASURE. 

A  FEW  hours  were  passed  by  the  prisoner,  after  his 
sentence  was  received,  in  the  bosom  of  his  family.  Mr. 
Wharton  wept  in  hopeless  despondency  over  the  untimely 
fate  of  his  son;  and  Frances,  after  recovering  from  her 
insensibility,  experienced  an  anguish  of  feeling  to  which 
the  bitterness  of  death  itself  would  have  been  compara 
tively  light.  Miss  Peyton  alone  retained  a  vestige  of 
hope,  or  presence  of  mind  to  suggest  what  might  be 
proper  to  be  done  under  their  circumstances.  The  com 
parative  composure  of  the  good  aunt  arose  in  no  degree 
from  any  want  of  interest  in  the  welfare  of  her  nephew, 
but  it  was  founded  in  a  kind  of  instinctive  dependence  on 
the  character  of  Washington.  He  was  a  native  of  the 
same  colony  with  herself;  and  although  his  early  military 
services,  and  her  frequent  visits  to  the  family  of  her  sis 
ter,  and  subsequent  establishment  at  its  head,  had  pre 
vented  their  ever  meeting,  still  she  was  familiar  with  his 
domestic  virtues,  and  well  knew  that  the  rigid  inflexi 
bility  for  which  his  public  acts  we  re  distinguished,  formed 
no  part  of  his  reputation  in  private  life.  He  was  known 
in  Virginia  as  a  consistent  but  just  and  lenient  master; 
and  she  felt  a  kind  of  pride  in  associating  in  her  mind 
her  countryman  with  the  man  who  led  the  armies,  and  in 
a  great  measure  controlled  the  destinies  of  America. 
She  knew  that  Henry  was  innocent  of  the  crime  to  which 
he  was  condemned  to  suffer,  and,  with  that  kind  of  sim 
ple  faith  that  is  ever  to  be  found  in  the  most  ingenuous 
characters,  could  not  conceive  of  those  constructions  and 
interpretations  of  law  that  inflicted  punishment  without 
the  actual  existence  of  crime.  But  even  her  confiding 
hopes  were  doomed  to  meet  with  a  speedy  termination. 

323 


324  THE  SPY 

Towards  noon,  a  regiment  of  militia,  that  were  quar 
tered  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  moved  up  to  the  ground 
in  front  of  the  house  that  held  our  heroine  and  her  fam 
ily,  and  deliberately  pitched  their  tents,  with  the  avowed 
intention  of  remaining  until  the  following  morning,  to 
give  solemnity  and  effect  to  the  execution  of  a  British 
spy. 

Dunwoodie  had  performed  all  that  was  required  of  him 
by  his  orders,  and  was  at  liberty  to  retrace  his  steps  to 
his  expecting  squadron,  which  was  impatiently  waiting 
his  return,  to  be  led  against  a  detachment  of  the  enemy, 
that  was  known  to  be  slowly  moving  up  the  banks  of  the 
river,  in  order  to  cover  a  party  of  foragers  in  its  rear. 
He  was  accompanied  by  a  small  party  of  Lawton's  troops, 
under  the  expectation  that  their  testimony  might  be  re 
quired  to  convict  the  prisoner;  and  Mason,  the  lieutenant, 
was  in  command.  But  the  confession  of  Captain  Whar- 
ton  had  removed  the  necessity  of  examining  any  witnesses 
on  behalf  of  the  people.1  The  major,  from  an  unwilling 
ness  to  encounter  the  distress  of  Henry's  friends,  and  a 
dread  of  trusting  himself  within  its  influence,  had  spent 
the  time  we  have  mentioned  in  walking  by  himself,  in 
keen  anxiety,  at  a  short  distance  from  the  dwelling. 
Like  Miss  Peyton,  he  had  some  reliance  on  the  mercy  of 
Washington,  although  moments  of  terrific  doubt  and 
despondency  were  continually  crossing  his  mind.  To  him 
the  rules  of  service  were  familiar,  and  he  was  more 
accustomed  to  consider  his  general  in  the  capacity  of  a 
ruler,  than  as  exhibiting  the  characteristics  of  the  indi 
vidual.  A  dreadful  instance  had  too  recently  occurred, 
which  fully  proved  that  Washington  was  above  the  weak 
ness  of  sparing  another  in  mercy  to  himself.  While 
pacing,  with  hurried  steps,  through  the  orchard,  labor 
ing  under  these  constantly  recurring  doubts,  enlivened  by 
transient  rays  of  hope,  Mason  approached,  accoutred  com 
pletely  for  the  saddle. 

"Thinking  you  might  have  forgotten  the  news  brought 
this  morning  from  below,  sir,  I  have  taken  the  liberty  to 
order  the  detachment  under  arms,"  said  the  lieutenant, 

JIn  America,  justice  is  administered  in  the  name  of  "the  good  people,"  etc., 
etc.,  the  sovereignty  residing  with  them. 


THE  SPY  325 

very  coolly,  cutting  down  with  his  sheathed  sabre  the 
mullein  tops  that  grew  within  his  reach. 

"What  news?"  cried  the  major,  starting. 

"Only  that  John  Bull  is  out  in  West-Chester,  with  a 
train  of  wagons,  which,  if  he  fills,  will  compel  us  to 
retire  through  these  cursed  hills,  in  search  of  provender. 
These  greedy  Englishmen  are  so  shut  up  on  York  Island, 
that  when  they  do  venture  out,  they  seldom  leave  straw 
enough  to  furnish  the  bed  of  a  Yankee  heiress." 

"Where  did  the  express  leave  them,  did  you  say?  The 
intelligence  has  entirely  escaped  my  memory." 

"On  the  heights  above  Sing  Sing,"  returned  the  lieu 
tenant,  with  no  little  amazement.  "The  road  below 
looks  like  a  haymarket,  and  all  the  swine  are  sighing 
forth  their  lamentations,  as  the  corn  passes  them  towards 
King's  Bridge.  George  Singleton's  orderly,  who  brought 
up  the  tidings,  says  that  our  horses  were  holding  con 
sultation  if  they  should  not  go  down  without  their  riders, 
and  eat  another  meal,  for  it  is  questionable  with  them 
whether  they  can  get  a  full  stomach  again.  If  they  are 
suffered  to  get  back  with  their  plunder,  we  shall  not  be 
able  to  find  a  piece  of  pork  at  Christmas  fat  enough  to  fry 
itself." 

"Peace,  with  all  this  nonsense  of  Singleton's  orderly, 
Mr.  Mason,"  cried  Dunwoodie,  impatiently;  "let  him 
learn  to  wait  the  orders  of  his  superiors." 

"I  beg  pardon  in  his  name,  Major  Dunwoodie,"  said 
the  subaltern;  "but,  like  myself,  he  was  in  error.  We 
both  thought  it  was  the  order  of  General  Heath,  to  attack 
and  molest  the  enemy  whenever  he  ventured  out  of  his 
nest." 

"Recollect  yourself,  Lieutenant  Mason,"  said  the 
major,  "or  I  may  have  to  teach  you  that  your  orders 
pass  through  me." 

"I  know  it,  Major  Dunwoodie — I  know  it;  and  I  am 
sorry  that  your  memory  is  so  bad  as  to  forget  that  I 
never  have  yet  hesitated  to  obey  them." 

"Forgive  me,  Mason,"  cried  Dunwoodie,  taking  both 
his  hands;  "I  do  know  you  for  a  brave  and  obedient  sol 
dier;  forget  my  humor.  But  this  business — had  you  ever 
a  friend?" 


326  THE  SPY 

"Nay,  nay,"  interrupted  the  lieutenant;  "forgive  me 
and  my  honest  zeal.  I  knew  of  the  orders,  and  was  fear 
ful  that  censure  might  fall  on  my  officer.  But  remain, 
and  let  a  man  breathe  a  syllable  against  the  corps,  and 
every  sword  will  start  from  the  scabbard  of  itself; 
besides,  they  are  still  moving  up,  and  it  is  a  long  road 
from  Croton  to  King's  Bridge.  Happen  what  may,  I  see 
plainly  that  we  shall  be  on  their  heels  before  they  are 
housed  again." 

"Oh!  that  the  courier  was  returned  from  headquar 
ters!"  exclaimed  Dunwoodie.  "This  suspense  is  insup 
portable." 

"You  have  your  wish, "  cried  Mason;  "here  he  is  at  the 
moment,  and  riding  like  the  bearer  of  good  news.  God 
send  it  may  be  so;  for  I  can't  say  that  I  particularly  like 
myself  to  see  a  brave  young  fellow  dancing  upon  noth 
ing." 

Dunwoodie  heard  but  very  little  of  this  feeling  declara 
tion;  for,  ere  half  of  it  was  uttered,  he  had  leaped  the 
fence,  and  stood  before  the  messenger. 

"What  news?"  cried  the  major,  the  moment  that  the 
soldier  stopped  his  horse. 

"Good!"  exclaimed  the  man;  and  feeling  no  hesitation 
to  intrust  an  officer  so  well  known  as  Major  Dunwoodie, 
he  placed  the  paper  in  his  hands,  as  he  added,  "but  you 
can  read  it,  sir,  for  yourself." 

Dunwoodie  paused  not  to  read;  but  flew,  with  the  elas 
tic  spring  of  joy,  to  the  chamber  of  the  prisoner.  The 
sentinel  knew  him,  and  he  was  suffered  to  pass  without 
question. 

"Oh!  Peyton,"  cried  Frances,  as  he  entered  the  apart 
ment,  "you  look  like  a  messenger  from  heaven!  bring  you 
tidings  of  mercy?" 

"Here,  Frances — here.  Henry — here,  dear  cousin 
Jeanette, "  cried  the  youth,  as  with  trembling  hands  he 
broke  the  seal;  "here  is  the  letter  itself,  directed  to  the 
captain  of  the  guard.  But  listen — 

All  did  listen  with  intense  anxiety;  and  the  pang  of 
blasted  hope  was  added  to  their  misery,  as  they  saw  the 
glow  of  delight  which  had  beamed  on  the  countenance  of 
the  major  give  place  to  a  look  of  horror.  The  paper  con- 


THE   SPY  327 

tained  the  sentence  of  the  court,   and  underneath  was 
written  these  simple  words: 

"Approved — GEO.  WASHINGTON." 

"He's  lost,  he's  lost!"  cried  Frances,  sinking  into  the 
arms  of  her  aunt. 

"My  son!  my  son!"  sobbed  the  father,  "there  is  mercy 
in  heaven,  if  there  is  none  on  earth.  May  Washington 
never  want  that  mercy  he  thus  denies  to  my  innocent 
child!" 

"Washington!"  echoed  Dunwoodie,  gazing  around  him 
in  vacant  horror.  "Yes,  'tis  the  act  of  Washington  him 
self;  these  are  his  characters;  his  very  name  is  here,  to 
sanction  the  dreadful  deed." 

"Cruel,  cruel  Washington!"  cried  Miss  Peyton;  "how 
has  familiarity  with  blood  changed  his  nature!" 

"Blame  him  not,"  said  Dunwoodie;  "it  is  the  general, 
and  not  the  man;  my  life  on  it,  he  feels  the  blow  he  is 
compelled  to  inflict." 

"I  have  been  deceived  in  him,"  cried  Frances.  "He 
is  not  the  saviour  of  his  country;  but  a  cold  and  merci 
less  tyrant.  Oh!  Peyton,  Peyton!  how  have  you  misled 
me  in  his  character!" 

"Peace,  dear  Frances;  peace,  for  God's  sake;  use  not 
such  language.  He  is  but  the  guardian  of  the  law." 

"You speak  the  truth,  Major  Dunwoodie,"  said  Henry, 
recovering  from  the  shock  of  having  his  last  ray  of  hope 
extinguished,  and  advancing  from  his  seat  by  the  side  of 
his  father.  "I,  who  am  to  suffer,  blame  him  not.  Every 
indulgence  has  been  granted  me  that  I  can  ask.  On  the 
verge  of  the  grave  I  cannot  continue  unjust.  At  such  a 
moment,  with  so  recent  an  instance  of  danger  to  your 
cause  from  treason,  I  wonder  not  at  Washington's  un- , 
bending  justice.  Nothing  now  remains  but  to  prepare  i 
for  that  fate  which  so  speedily  awaits  me.  To  you, 
Major  Dunwoodie,  I  make  my  first  request." 

"Name  it,"  said  the  major  giving  utterance  with  diffi 
culty. 

Henry  turned,  and  pointing  to  the  group  of  weeping 
mourners  near  him,  he  continued: 

"Be  a  son  to  this  aged  man;  help  his  weakness,  and  de 
fend  him  from  any  usage  to  which  the  stigma  thrown 


328  THE   SPY 

upon  me  may  subject  him.  He  has  not  many  friends 
amongst  the  rulers  of  this  country;  let  your  powerful 
name  be  found  among  them." 

"It  shall." 

"And  this  helpless  innocent,"  continued  Henry,  point 
ing  to  where  Sarah  sat,  unconscious  of  what  was  passing, 
"I  had  hoped  for  an  opportunity  to  revenge  her  wrongs;" 
a  flush  of  excitement  passed  over  his  features;  "but  such 
thoughts  are  evil — I  feel  them  to  be  wrong.  Under  your 
care,  Peyton,  she  will  find  sympathy  and  refuge." 

"She  shall,"  whispered  Dunwoodie. 

"This  good  aunt  has  claims  upon  you  already;  of  her  I 
will  not  speak;  but  here,"  taking  the  hand  of  Frances, 
and  dwelling  upon  her  countenance  with  an  expression  of 
fraternal  affection,  "here  is  the  choicest  gift  of  all. 
Take  her  to  your  bosom,  and  cherish  her  as  you  would 
cultivate  innocence  and  virtue." 

The  major  could  not  repress  the  eagerness  with  which 
he  extended  his  hand  to  receive  the  precious  boon;  but 
Frances,  shrinking  from  his  touch,  hid  her  face  in  the 
bosom  of  her  aunt. 

"No,  no,  no!"  she  murmured;  "none  can  ever  be  any 
thing  to  me  who  aids  in  my  brother's  destruction." 

Henry  continued  gazing  at  her  in  tender  pity  for  sev 
eral  moments,  before  he  again  resumed  a  discourse  that 
all  felt  was  most  peculiarly  his  own. 

"I  have  been  mistaken,  then.  I  did  think,  Peyton, 
that  your  worth,  your  noble  devotion  to  a  cause  that 
you  have  been  taught  to  revere,  that  your  kindness  to 
our  father  when  in  imprisonment,  your  friendship  for  me 
— in  short,  that  your  character  was  understood  and 
valued  by  my  sister." 

"It  is — it  is,"  whispered  Frances,  burying  her  face 
still  deeper  in  the  bosom  of  her  aunt. 

"I  believe,  dear  Henry,"  said  Dunwoodie,  "this  is  a 
subject  that  had  better  not  be  dwelt  upon  now." 

"You  forget,"  returned  the  prisoner,  with  a  faint 
smile,  "how  much  I  have  to  do,  and  how  little  time  is 
left  to  do  it  in." 

"I  apprehend,"  continued  the  major,  with  a  face  of 
fire,  "that  Miss  Wharton  has  imbibed  some  opinions  of 


THE   SPY  329 

me  that  would  make  a  compliance  with  your  request  irk 
some  to  her — opinions  that  it  is  now  too  late  to  alter." 

"No,  no,  no,"  cried  Frances,  quickly;  "you  are  exon 
erated,  Peyton — with  her  dying  breath  she  removed  my 
doubts." 

"Generous  Isabel  la!"  murmured  Dunwoodie;  "butstill, 
Henry,  spare  your  sister  now;  nay,  spare  even  me." 

"I  speak  in  pity  to  myself,"  returned  the  brother, 
gently  removing  Frances  from  the  arms  of  her  aunt. 
"What  a  time  is  this  to  leave  two  such  lovely  females 
without  a  protector !  Their  abode  is  destroyed,  and  mis 
ery  will  speedily  deprive  them  of  their  last  male  friend," 
looking  at  his  father;  "can  I  die  in  peace  with  the  knowl 
edge  of  the  danger  to  which  they  will  be  exposed?" 

"You  forget  me,"  said  Miss  Peyton,  shrinking  at  the 
idea  of  celebrating  nuptials  at  such  a  moment. 

"No,  my  dear  aunt,  I  forget  you  not,  nor  shall  I,  until 
I  cease  to  remember;  but  you  forget  the  times  and  the 
danger.  The  good  woman  who  lives  in  this  house  has 
already  despatched  a  messenger  for  a  man  of  God,  to 
smooth  my  passage  to  another  world.  Frances,  if  you 
would  wish  me  to  die  in  peace,  to  feel  a  security  that 
will  allow  me  to  turn  my  whole  thoughts  to  heaven,  you 
will  let  this  clergyman  unite  you  to  Dunwoodie." 

Frances  shook  her  head,  but  remained  silent. 

"I  ask  for  joy — no  demonstration  of  a  felicity  that  you 
will  not,  cannot  feel,  for  months  to  come;  but  obtain  a 
right  to  his  powerful  name — give  him  an  undisputed  title 
to  protect  you — 

Again  the  maid  made  an  impressive  gesture  of  denial. 

"For  the  sake  of  that  unconscious  sufferer" — pointing 
to  Sarah,  "for  your  sake — for  my  sake— my  sister — 

"Peace,  Henry,  or  you  will  break  my  heart,"  cried  the 
agitated  girl;  "not  for  worlds  would  I  at  such  a  moment 
engage  in  the  solemn  vows  that  you  wish.  It  would  ren 
der  me  miserable  for  life." 

"You  love  him  not,"  said  Henry,  reproachfully.  "I 
cease  to  importune  you  to  do  what  is  against  your  inclina 
tions. " 

Frances  raised  one  hand  to  conceal  her  countenance,  as 


330  THE   SPY 

she  nded  the  other  towards  Dunwoodie,  and  said, 
earnestly : 

"Now  you  are  unjust  to  me — before,  you  were  unjust 
to  yourself." 

"Promise  me,  then,"  said  Wharton,  musing  awhile  in 
silence,  "that  as  soon  as  the  recollection  of  my  fate  is 
softened,  you  will  give  my  friend  that  hand  for  life,  and 
I  am  satisfied." 

"I  do  promise,"  said  Frances,  withdrawing  the  hand 
that  Dunwoodie  delicately  relinquished,  without  even 
presuming  to  press  it  to  his  lips. 

"Well,  then,  my  good  aunt,"  continued  Henry,  "will 
you  leave  me  for  a  short  time  alone  with  my  friend?  I 
have  a  few  melancholy  commissions  with  which  to  intrust 
him,  and  would  spare  you  and  my  sister  the  pain  of 
hearing  them." 

"There  is  yet  time  to  see  Washington  again,"  said 
Miss  Peyton,  moving  towards  the  door;  and  then  speak 
ing  with  extreme  dignity,  she  continued,  "I  will  go  my 
self:  surely  he  must  listen  to  a  woman  from  his  own  col 
ony! — and  we  are  in  some  degree  connected  with  his 
family." 

"Why  not  apply  to  Mr.  Harper?"  said  Frances,  recol 
lecting  the  parting  words  of  their  guest  for  the  first 
time. 

"Harper!"  echoed  Dunwoodie,  turning  towards  her 
with  the  swiftness  of  lightning;  "what  of  him?  do  you 
know  him?" 

"It  is  in  vain,"  said  Henry,  drawing  him  aside; 
"Frances  clings  to  hope  with  the  fondness  of  a  sister. 
Retire,  my  love,  and  leave  me  with  my  friend." 

But  Frances  read  an  expression  in  the  eye  of  Dun 
woodie  that  chained  her  to  the  spot.  After  struggling  to 
command  her  feelings,  she  continued: 

"He  stayed  with  us  for  two  days — he  was  with  us 
when  Henry  was  arrested." 

"And — and — did  you  know  him?" 

"Nay,"  continued  Frances,  catching  her  breath  as  she 
witnessed  the  intense  interest  of  her  lover,  "we  knew 
him  not;  he  came  to  us  in  the  night  a  stranger,  and  re 
mained  with  us  during  the  severe  storm;  but  he  seemed 


THE  SPY  331 

to  take  an  interest  in  Henry,  and  promised  him  his 
friendship." 

"What!"  exclaimed  the  youth  in  astonishment;  "did 
he  know  your  brother?" 

"Certainly;  it  was  at  his  request  that  Henry  threw 
aside  his  disguise." 

"But,"  said  Dunwoodie,  turning  pale  with  suspense, 
"he  knew  him  not  as  an  officer  of  the  royal  army?" 

"Indeed  he  did,"  cried  Miss  Peyton;  "and  he  cau 
tioned  us  against  this  very  danger." 

Dunwoodie  caught  up  the  fatal  paper,  that  still  lay 
where  it  had  fallen  from  his  own  hands,  and  studied  its 
characters  intently.  Something  seemed  to  bewilder  his 
brain.  He  passed  his  hand  over  his  forehead,  while  each 
eye  was  fixed  on  him  in  dreadful  suspense — all  feeling 
afraid  to  admit  those  hopes  anew  that  had  been  so  sadly 
destroyed. 

"What  said  he?  what  promised  he?"  at  length  Dun 
woodie  asked,  with  feverish  impatience. 

"He  bid  Henry  apply  to  him  when  in  danger,  and 
promised  to  requite  the  son  for  the  hospitality  of  the 
father." 

"Said  he  this,  knowing  him  to  be  a  British  officer?" 

"Most  certainly;  and  with  a  view  to  this  very  danger. " 

"Then,"  cried  the  youth  aloud,  and  yielding  to  his 
rapture,  "then  you  are  safe — then  will  I  save  him;  yes, 
Harper  will  never  forget  his  word." 

"But  has  he  the  power  to?"  said  Frances;  "can  he 
move  the  stubborn  purpose  of  Washington?" 

"Can  he!  If  he  cannot,"  shouted  the  youth,  "if  he 
cannot,  who  can?  Greene,  and  Heath,  and  young  Hamil 
ton  are  nothing  compared  to  this  Harper.  But, ' '  rush 
ing  to  his  mistress,  and  pressing  her  hands  convulsively, 
"repeat  to  me — you  say  you  have  his  promise?" 

"Surely,  surely,  Peyton;  his  solemn,  deliberate  prom 
ise,  knowing  all  of  the  circumstances." 

"Rest  easy,"  cried  Dunwoodie,  holding  her  to  his 
bosom  for  a  moment,  "rest  easy,  for  Henry  is  safe." 

He  waited  not  to  explain,  but  darting  from  the  room, 
he  left  the  family  in  amazement.  They  continued  in 


332  THE  SPY 

silent  wonder  antil  they  heard  the  feet  of  his  charger,  as 
he  dashed  from  the  door  with  the  speed  of  an  arrow. 

A  long  time  was  spent  after  this  abrupt  departure  of 
the  youth,  by  the  anxious  friends  he  had  left,  in  discuss 
ing  the  probability  of  his  success.  The  confidence  of  his 
manner  had,  however,  communicated  to  his  auditors 
something  of  his  own  spirit.  Each  felt  that  the  pros 
pects  of  Henry  were  again  brightening,  and  with  their 
reviving  hopes  they  experienced  a  renewal  of  spirits, 
which  in  all  but  Henry  himself  amounted  to  pleasure: 
with  him,  indeed,  his  state  was  too  awful  to  admit  of 
trifling,  and  for  a  few  hours  he  was  condemned  to  feel 
how  much  more  intolerable  was  suspense  than  even  the 
certainty  of  calamity.  Not  so  with  Frances.  She,  with 
all  the  reliance  of  affection,  reposed  in  security  on  the 
assurance  of  Dunwoodie,  without  harassing  herself  with 
doubts  that  she  possessed  not  the  means  of  satisfying; 
but  believing  her  lover  able  to  accomplish  everything 
that  man  could  do,  and  retaining  a  vivid  recollection  of 
the  manner  and  benevolent  appearance  of  Harper,  she 
abandoned  herself  to  all  the  felicity  of  renovated  hope. 

The  joy  of  Miss  Peyton  was  more  sobered,  and  she 
took  frequent  occasions  to  reprove  her  niece  for  the  exu 
berance  of  her  spirits,  before  there  was  a  certainty  that 
their  expectations  were  to  be  realized.  But  the  slight 
smile  that  hovered  around  the  lips  of  the  virgin  contra 
dicted  the  very  sobriety  of  feeling  that  she  inculcated. 

"Why,  dearest  aunt, "said  Frances,  playfully,  in  reply 
to  one  of  her  frequent  reprimands,  "would  you  have  me 
repress  the  pleasure  that  I  feel  at  Henry's  deliverance, 
when  you  yourself  have  so  often  declared  it  to  be  impos 
sible  that  such  men  as  ruled  in  our  country  could  sacri 
fice  an  innocent  man?" 

"Nay,  I  did  believe  it  impossible,  my  child,  and  yet 
think  so ;  but  still  there  is  a  discretion  to  be  shown  in 
joy  as  well  as  in  sorrow." 

Frances  recollected  the  declaration  of  Isabella,  and 
turned  an  eye  filled  with  tears  of  gratitude  on  her  excel 
lent  aunt,  as  she  replied: 

"True:  but  there  are  feelings  that  will  not  yield  to 
reason.  Ah!  here  are  those  monsters,  who  have  come  to 


THE   SPY  333 

witness  the  death  of  a  fellow-creature,  moving  around 
yon  field,  as  if  life  was,  to  them,  nothing  but  a  military 
show. ' ' 

"It  is  but  little  more  to  the  hireling  soldier, "  said 
Henry,  endeavoring  to  forget  his  uneasiness. 

"You  gaze,  my  love,  as  if  you  thought  a  military 
show  of  some  importance,"  said  Miss  Peyton,  observing 
her  niece  to  be  looking  from  the  window  with  a  fixed  and 
abstracted  attention.  But  Frances  answered  not. 

From  the  window  where  she  stood,  the  pass  that  they 
had  travelled  through  the  Highlands  was  easily  to  be 
seen;  and  the  mountain  which  held  on  its  summit  the 
mysterious  hut  was  directly  before  her.  Its  side  was 
rugged  and  barren;  huge  and  apparently  impassable  bar 
riers  of  rocks  presenting  themselves  through  the  stunted 
oaks,  which,  stripped  of  their  foliage,  were  scattered 
over  its  surface.  The  base  of  the  hill  was  not  half  a  mile 
from  the  house,  and  the  object  which  attracted  the  notice 
of  Frances  was  the  figure  of  a  man  emerging  from  behind 
a  rock  of  remarkable  formation,  and  as  suddenly  disap 
pearing.  The  manoeuvre  was  several  times  repeated,  as 
if  it  were  the  intention  of  the  fugitive  (for  such  by  his 
air  he  seemed  to  be)  to  reconnoitre  the  proceedings  of 
the  soldiery,  and  assure  himself  of  the  position  of  things 
on  the  plain.  Notwithstanding  the  distance,  Frances  in 
stantly  imbibed  the  opinion  that  it  was  Birch.  Perhaps 
this  impression  was  partly  owing  to  the  air  and  figure  of 
the  man,  but  in  a  great  measure  to  the  idea  that  pre 
sented  itself  on  formerly  beholding  the  object  at  the  sum 
mit  of  the  mountain.  That  they  were  the  same  figure 
she  was  confident,  although  this  wanted  the  appearance 
which  in  the  other  she  had  taken  for  the  pack  of  the  ped 
dler.  Harvey  had  so  connected  himself  with  the  mys 
terious  deportment  of  Harper,  within  her  imagination, 
that  under  circumstances  of  less  agitation  than  those  in 
which  she  had  labored  since  her  arrival,  she  would  have 
kept  her  suspicions  to  herself.  Frances,  therefore,  sat 
ruminating  on  this  second  appearance  in  silence,  and  en 
deavoring  to  trace  what  possible  connection  this  extraor 
dinary  man  could  have  with  the  fortunes  of  her  own 
family.  He  had  certainly  saved  Sarah,  in  some  degree, 


THE  SPY 

from  the  blow  that  had  partially  alighted  on  her,  and  in 
no  instance  had  he  proved  himself  to  be  hostile  to  their 
interests. 

After  gazing  for  a  long  time  at  the  point  where  she 
had  last  seen  the  figure,  in  the  vain  expectation  of  its 
reappearance,  she  turned  to  her  friends  in  the  apartment. 

Miss  Peyton  was  sitting  by  Sarah,  who  gave  some 
slight  additional  signs  of  observing  what  passed,  but  who 
still  continued  insensible  either  to  joy  or  grief. 

"I  suppose,  by  this  time,  my  love,  that  you  are  well 
acquainted  with  the  manoeuvres  of  a  regiment,"  said 
Miss  Peyton;  "it  is  no  bad  quality  in  a  soldier's  wife,  at 
all  events. ' ' 

"I  am  not  a  wife  yet,"  said  Frances,  coloring  to  the 
eyes;  "and  we  have  little  reason  to  wish  for  another  wed 
ding  in  our  family." 

"Frances!"  exclaimed  her  brother,  starting  from  his 
seat  and  pacing  the  floor  in  violent  agitation,  "touch  not 
the  chord  again,  I  entreat  you.  While  my  fate  is  uncer 
tain,  I  would  wish  to  be  at  peace  with  all  men." 

"Then  let  the  uncertainty  cease,"  cried  Frances, 
springing  to  the  door,  "for  here  comes  Peyton  with  the 
joyful  intelligence  of  your  release." 

The  words  were  hardly  uttered,  before  the  door  opened, 
and  the  major  entered.  In  his  air  there  was  the  appear 
ance  of  neither  success  nor  defeat,  but  there  was  a 
marked  display  of  vexation.  He  took  the  hand  that 
Frances,  in  the  fulness  of  her  heart,  extended  towards 
him,  but  instantly  relinquishing  it,  threw  himself  into  a 
chair,  in  evident  fatigue. 

"You  have  failed,"  said  Wharton,  with  a  bound  of  his 
heart,  but  an  appearance  of  composure. 

"Have  you  seen  Harper?"  cried  Frances,  'turning  pale. 

"I  have  not;  I  crossed  the  river  in  one  boat  as  he  must 
have  been  coming  to  this  side,  in  another.  I  returned 
without  delay,  and  traced  him  for  several  miles  into  the 
Highlands,  by  the  western  pass,  but  there  I  unaccounta 
bly  lost  him.  I  have  returned  here  to  relieve  your  uneasi 
ness,  but  see  him  I  will  this  night,  and  bring  a  respite 
for  Henry." 


THE   SPY  335 

"But  saw  you  Washington?"  asked  Miss  Peyton. 

Dunwoodie  gazed  at  her  a  moment  in  abstracted  mus 
ing,  and  the  question  was  repeated.  He  answered  gravely, 
and  with  some  reserve: 

"The  commander-in-chief  had  left  his  quarters." 

"But,  Peyton, "  cried  Frances,  in  returning  terror,  "if 
they  should  not  see  each  other,  it  will  be  too  late. 
Harper  alone  will  not  be  sufficient." 

Her  lover  turned  his  eyes  slowly  on  her  anxious  coun 
tenance,  and  dwelling  a  moment  on  her  features,  said, 
still  musing: 

"You  say  that  he  promised  to  assist  Henry?" 

"Certainly,  of  his  own  accord,  and  in  requital  for  the 
hospitality  he  had  received." 

Dunwoodie  shook  his  head,  and  began  to  look  grave. 

"I  like  not  that  word  hospitality — it  has  an  empty 
sound;  there  must  be  something  more  reasonable  to  tie 
Harper.  I  dread  some  mistake:  repeat  to  me  all  that 
passed." 

Frances,  in  a  hurried  and  earnest  voice,  complied  with 
his  request,  She  related  particularly  the  manner  of  his 
arrival  at  the  Locusts,  the  reception  that  he  received,  and 
the  events  that  passed  as  minutely  as  her  memory  could 
supply  her  with  the  means.  As  she  alluded  to  the  con 
versation  that  occurred  between  her  father  and  his  guest, 
the  major  smiled  but  remained  silent.  She  then  gave  a 
detail  of  Henry's  arrival,  and  the  events  of  the  following 
day.  She  dwelt  upon  the  part  where  Harper  had  desired 
her  brother  to  throw  aside  his  disguise,  and  recounted, 
with  wonderful  accuracy,  his  remarks  upon  the  hazard  of 
the  step  that  the  youth  had  taken.  She  even  remembered 
a  remarkable  expression  of  his  to  her  brother,  "that  he 
was  safer  from  Harper's  knowledge  of  his  person,  than 
he  would  be  without  it."  Frances  mentioned,  with  the 
warmth  of  youthful  admiration,  the  benevolent  charac 
ter  of  his  deportment  to  herself,  and  gave  a  minute  rela 
tion  of  his  adieus  to  the  whole  family. 

Dunwoodie  at  first  listened  with  grave  attention;  evi 
dent  satisfaction  followed  as  she  proceeded.  When  she 
spoke  of  herself  in  connection  with  their  guest,  he  smiled 


336  THE   SPY 

with  pleasure,  and  as  she  concluded,  he  exclaimed,  with 
delight: 

"We  are  safe! — we  are  safe!" 

But  he  was  interrupted,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  follow 
ing  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

"The  owlet  loves  the  gloom  of  night, 

The  lark  salutes  the  day. 
The  timid  dove  will  coo  at  hand — 
But  falcons  soar  away." 

—SONG  m  Duo. 

IN  a  country  settled,  like  these  States,  by  a  people  who 
fled  their  native  land  and  much-loved  firesides,  victims  of 
consciences  and  religious  zeal,  none  of  the  decencies  and 
solemnities  of  a  Christian  death  are  dispensed  with,  when 
circumstances  will  admit  of  their  exercise.  The  good 
woman  of  the  house  was  a  strict  adherent  to  the  forms  of 
the  church  to  which  she  belonged;  and  having  herself 
been  awakened  to  a  sense  of  her  depravity,  by  the  minis 
try  of  the  divine  who  harangued  the  people  of  the  adjoin 
ing  parish,  she  thought  it  was  from  his  exhortations  only 
that  salvation  could  be  meted  out  to  the  short-lived  hopes 
of  Henry  Wharton.  Not  that  the  kind-hearted  matron 
was  so  ignorant  of  the  doctrines  of  the  religion  which 
she  professed,  as  to  depend,  theoretically,  on  mortal  aid 
for  protection;  but  she  had,  to  use  her  own  phrase,  "sat 

so  long  under  the  preaching  of  good   Mr.  , "  that 

she  had  unconsciously  imbibed  a  practical  reliance  on  his 
assistance,  for  that  which  her  faith  should  have  taught 
her  could  come  from  the  Deity  alone.  With  her,  the 
consideration  of  death  was  at  all  times  awful ;  and  the 
instant  that  the  sentence  of  the  prisoner  was  promul 
gated,  she  despatched  Caesar,  mounted  on  one  of  her  hus 
band's  best  horses,  in  quest  of  her  clerical  monitor. 
This  step  had  been  taken  without  consulting  either  Henry 
or  his  friends;  and  it  was  only  when  the  services  of 
Ceesar  were  required  on  some  domestic  emergency,  that 
she  explained  the  nature  of  his  absence.  The  youth  heard 
her,  at  first,  with  an  unconquerable  reluctance  to  admit 
of  such  a  spiritual  guide;  but  as  our  view  of  the  things 
22  337 


338  THE   SPY 

of  this  life  becomes  less  vivid,  our  prejudices  and  habits 
cease  to  retain  their  influence;  and  a  civil  bow  of  thank? 
was  finally  given,  in  requital  for  the  considerate  care  of 
the  well-meaning  woman. 

The  black  returned  early  from  his  expedition,  and  as 
well  as  could  be  gathered  from  his  somewhat  incoherent 
narrative,  a  minister  of  God  might  be  expected  to 
arrive  in  the  course  of  the  day.  The  interruption  that 
we  mentioned  in  our  preceding  chapter  was  occasioned  by 
the  entrance  of  the  landlady.  At  the  intercession  of 
Dunwoodie,  orders  had  been  given  to  the  sentinel  who 
guarded  the  door  of  Henry's  room,  that  the  members  of 
the  prisoner's  family  should,  at  all  times,  have  free  ac 
cess  to  his  apartment:  Caesar  was  included  in  this  arrange 
ment,  as  a  matter  of  convenience,  by  the  officer  in 
command;  but  strict  inquiry  and  examination  was  made 
into  the  errand  of  every  other  applicant  for  admission. 
The  major  had,  however,  included  himself  among  the 
relatives  of  the  British  officer;  and  one  pledge,  that  no 
rescue  should  be  attempted,  was  given  in  his  name,  for 
them  all.  A  short  conversation  was  passing  between  the 
woman  of  the  house  and  the  corporal  of  the  guard,  before 
the  door  that  the  sentinel  had  already  opened  in  anticipa 
tion  of  the  decision  of  his  non-commissioned  commandant. 

"Would  you  refuse  the  consolations  of  religion  to  a 
fellow-creature  about  to  suffer  death?"  said  the  matron, 
with  earnest  zeal.  "Would  you  plunge  a  soul  into  the 
fiery  furnace,  and  a  minister  at  hand  to  point  out  the 
straight  and  narrow  path?" 

"I'll  tell  you  what,  good  woman,"  returned  the  cor 
poral,  gently  pushing  her  away;  "I've  no  notion  of  my 
back  being  a  highway  for  any  man  to  walk  to  heaven 
upon.  A  pretty  figure  I  should  make  at  the  pickets  for 
disobeying  orders.  Just  step  down  and  ask  Lieutenant 
Mason,  and  you  may  bring  in  a  whole  congregation.  We 
have  not  taken  the  guard  from  the  foot-soldiers,  but  an 
hour,  and  I  shouldn't  like  to  have  it  said  that  we  know 
less  of  our  duty  than  the  militia." 

"Admit  the  woman,"  said  Dunwoodie,  sternly,  ob 
serving,  for  the  first  time,  that  one  of  his  own  corps  was 
on  post. 


THE  SPY  339 

The  corporal  raised  his  hand  to  his  cap,  and  fell  back 
in  silence;  the  soldier  stood  to  his  arms,  and  the  matron 
entered. 

"Here  is  a  reverend  gentleman  below,  come  to  soothe 
the  parting  soul,  in  the  place  of  our  own  divine,  who  is 
engaged  with  an  appointment  that  could  not  be  put 
aside;  'tis  to  bury  old  Mr.  . " 

"Show  him  in,"  said  Henry,  with  a  feverish  impa 
tience. 

"But  will  the  sentinel  let  him  pass?  I  would  not  wish 
a  friend  of  Mr.  -  -  to  be  rudely  stopped  on  the  thresh 
old,  and  he  a  stranger." 

All  eyes  were  now  turned  on  Dunwoodie,  who,  looking 
at  his  watch,  spoke  a  few  words  with  Henry,  in  an  under 
tone,  and  hastened  from  the  apartment,  followed  by 
Frances.  The  subject  of  their  conversation  was  a  wish 
expressed  by  the  prisoner  for  a  clergyman  of  his  own  per 
suasion,  and  a  promise  from  the  major,  that  one  should 
be  sent  from  Fishkill  town,  through  which  he  was  about 
to  pass,  on  his  way  to  the  ferry  to  intercept  the  expected 
return  of  Harper.  Mason  soon  made  his  bow  at  the 
door,  and  willingly  complied  with  the  wishes  of  the 
landlady;  and  the  divine  was  invited  to  make  his  appear 
ance  accordingly. 

The  person  who  was  ushered  into  the  apartment,  pre 
ceded  by  Caesar,  and  followed  by  the  matron,  was  a  man 
beyond  the  middle  age,  or  who  might  rather  be  said  to 
approach  the  down-hill  of  life.  In  stature  he  was  above 
the  size  of  ordinary  men,  though  his  excessive  leanness 
might  contribute  in  deceiving  as  to  his  height;  his  coun 
tenance  was  sharp  and  unbending,  and  every  muscle 
seemed  set  in  rigid  compression.  No  joy  or  relaxation 
appeared  ever  to  have  dwelt  on  features  that  frowned 
habitually,  as  if  in  detestation  of  the  vices  of  mankind. 
The  brows  were  beetling,  dark,  and  forbidding,  giving 
the  promise  of  eyes  of  no  less  repelling  expression;  but 
the  organs  were  concealed  beneath  a  pair  of  enormous 
green  goggles,  through  which  they  glared  around  with  a 
fierceness  that  denounced  the  coming  day  of  wrath.  All 
was  fanaticism,  uncharitableness,  and  denunciation. 
Long,  lank  hair,  a  mixture  of  gray  and  black,  fell  down 


340  THE   SPY 

his  neck,  and  in  some  degree  obscured  the  sides  of  his 
face,  and,  parting  on  his  forehead,  fell  in  either  direction 
in  straight  and  formal  screens.  On  the  top  of  this  un 
graceful  exhibition  was  laid  impending  forward,  so  as  to 
overhang  in  some  measure  the  whole  fabric,  a  large  hat 
of  three  equal  cocks.  His  coat  was  of  a  rusty  black,  and 
his  breeches  and  stockings  were  of  the  same  color;  his 
shoes  without  lustre,  and  half  concealed  beneath  huge 
plated  buckles. 

He  stalked  into  the  room,  and  giving  a  stiff  nod  with 
his  head,  took  the  chair  offered  him  by  the  black,  in  dig 
nified  silence.  For  several  minutes  no  one  broke  this 
ominous  pause  in  the  conversation;  Henry  feeling  a 
repugnance  to  his  guest,  that  he  was  vainly  endeavoring 
to  conquer,  and  the  stranger  himself  drawing  forth  oc 
casional  sighs  and  groans,  that  threatened  a  dissolution 
of  the  unequal  connection  between  his  sublimated  soul 
and  its  ungainly  tenement.  During  this  deathlike  prep 
aration,  Mr.  Wharton,  with  a  feeling  nearly  allied  to 
that  of  his  son,  led  Sarah  from  the  apartment.  His 
retreat  was  noticed  by  the  divine,  in  a  kind  of  scornful 
disdain,  who  began  to  hum  the  air  of  a  popular  psalm 
tune,  giving  it  the  full  richness  of  the  twang  that  distin 
guishes  the  Eastern  1  psalmody. 

"Caesar,"  said  Miss  Peyton,  "hand  the  gentleman  some 
refreshment;  he  must  need  it  after  his  ride." 

"My  strength  is  not  in  the  things  of  this  life,"  said 
the  divine,  speaking  in  a  hollow,  sepulchral  voice. 
"Thrice  have  I  this  day  held  forth  in  my  master's  service, 
and  fainted  not;  still  it  is  prudent  to  help  this  frail  tene 
ment  of  clay,  for,  surely,  'the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his 
hire.'" 

Opening  a  pair  of  enormous  jaws,  he  took  a  good  meas 
ure  of  the  proffered  brandy,  and  suffered  it  to  glide 
downwards,  with  that  sort  of  facility  with  which  man  is 
prone  to  sin. 

"I  apprehend,  then,  sir,  that  fatigue  will  disable  you 
from  performing  the  duties  which  kindness  has  induced 
you  to  attempt. ' ' 

1By  "Eastern"  is  meant  the  States  of  New  England,  which,  being  origi 
nally  settled  by  Puritans  still  retain  many  distinct  shades  of  character. 


THE   SPY  341 

"Woman!"  exclaimed  the  stranger,  with  energy, 
"when  was  I  ever  known  to  shrink  from  a  duty?  But 
'judge  not,  lest  ye  be  judged,'  and  fancy  not  that  it  is 
given  to  mortal  eyes  to  fathom  the  intentions  of  the 
Deity." 

"Nay,"  returned  the  maiden,  meekly,  and  slightly  dis 
gusted  with  his  jargon,  "I  pretend  not  to  judge  of  either 
events,  or  the  intentions  of  my  fellow-creatures,  much 
less  of  those  of  Omnipotence." 

"Tis  well,  woman — 'tis  well,"  cried  the  minister, 
moving  his  head  with  supercilious  disdain;  "humility  be- 
cometh  thy  sex,  and  lost  condition;  thy  weakness  driveth 
thee  on  headlong,  like  'unto  the  bosom  of  destruction.'  ' 

Surprised  at  this  extraordinary  deportment,  but  yield 
ing  to  that  habit  which  urges  us  to  speak  reverently  on 
sacred  subjects,  even  when  perhaps  we  had  better  con 
tinue  silent,  Miss  Peyton  replied: 

"There  is  a  power  above,  that  can  and  will  sustain  us 
all  in  well-doing,  if  we  seek  its  support  in  humility  and 
truth." 

The  stranger  turned  a  lowering  look  at  the  speaker, 
and  then  composing  himself  into  an  air  of  self-abasement, 
he  continued  in  the  same  repelling  tones: 

"It  is  not  every  one  that  crieth  out  for  mercy,  that 
will  be  heard.  The  ways  of  Providence  are  not  to  be 
judged  by  men — 'Many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen.'  It 
is  easier  to  talk  of  Immility  than  to  feel  it.  Are  you  so 
humble,  vile  worm,  as  to  wish  to  glorify  God  by  your 
own  damnation?  If  not,  away  with  you  for  a  publican 
and  a  pharisee!" 

Such  gross  fanaticism  was  uncommon  in  America,  and 
Miss  Peyton  began  to  imbibe  the  impression  that  her 
guest  was  deranged;  but  remembering  that  he  had  been 
sent  by  a  well-known  divine,  and  one  of  reputation,  she 
discarded  the  idea,  and,  with  some  forbearance,  ob 
served  : 

"I  may  deceive  myself,  in  believing  that  mercy  is 
proffered  to  all,  but  it  is  so  soothing  a  doctrine,  that  I 
would  not  willingly  be  undeceived." 

"Mercy  is  only  for  the  elect,"  cried  the  stranger,  with 
an  unaccountable  energy;  "and  you  are  in  the  'valley  of 


342  THE  SPY 

the  shadow  of  death. '  Are  you  not  a  follower  of  idle 
ceremonies,  which  belong  to  the  vain  church  that  our 
tyrants  would  gladly  establish  here,  along  with  their 
stamp  acts  and  tea  laws?  Answer  me  that,  woman;  and 
remember  that  Heaven  hears  your  answer;  are  you  not  of 
that  idolatrous  communion?" 

"I  worship  at  the  altars  of  my  fathers,"  said  Miss 
Peyton,  motioning  to  Henry  for  silence;  "but  bow  to  no 
other  idol  than  my  own  infirmities." 

"Yes,  yes,  I  know  ye,  self-righteous  and  papal  as  ye 
are — followers  of  forms,  and  listeners  to  bookish  preach 
ing;  think  you,  woman,  that  holy  Paul  had  notes  in  his 
hand  to  propound  the  word  to  the  believers?" 

"My  presence  disturbs  you,"  said  Miss  Peyton,  rising: 
"I  will  leave  you  with  my  nephew,  and  offer  those  pray 
ers  in  private  that  I  did  wish  to  mingle  with  his." 

So  saying,  she  withdrew,  followed  by  the  landlady,  who 
was  not  a  little  shocked,  and  somewhat  surprised,  by  the 
intemperate  zeal  of  her  new  acquaintance;  for,  although 
the  good  woman  believed  that  Miss  Peyton  and  her  whole 
church  were  on  the  high  road  to  destruction,  she  was  by 
no  means  accustomed  to  hear  such  offensive  and  open 
avowals  of  their  fate. 

Henry  had  with  difficulty  repressed  the  indignation  ex 
cited  by  this  unprovoked  attack  on  his  meek  and  unresist 
ing  aunt;  but  as  the  door  closed  on  her  retiring  figure, 
he  gave  way  to  his  feelings. 

"I  must  confess,  sir,"  he  exclaimed  with  heat,  "that 
in  receiving  a  minister  of  God,  I  thought  I  was  admitting 
a  Christian;  and  one  who,  by  feeling  his  own  weaknesses, 
knew  how  to  pity  the  frailties  of  others.  You  have 
wounded  the  meek  spirit  of  an  excellent  woman,  and  I 
acknowledge  but  little  inclination  to  mingle  in  prayer 
with  so  intolerant  a  spirit." 

The  minister  stood  erect,  with  grave  composure,  fol 
lowing  with  his  eyes,  in  a  kind  of  scornful  pity,  the 
retiring  females,  and  suffered  the  expostulation  of  the 
youth  to  be  given,  as  if  unworthy  of  his  notice.  A  third 
voice,  however,  spoke: 

"Such  a  denunciation  would  have  driven  many  women 


THE  SPY  343 

into  fits;  but  it  has  answered  the  purpose  well  enough,  as 
it  is." 

"Who's  that?"  cried  the  prisoner,  in  amazement,  gaz 
ing  around  the  room  in  quest  of  the  speaker. 

"It  is  I,  Captain  Wharton,"  said  Harvey  Birch,  remov 
ing  the  spectacles,  and  exhibiting  his  piercing  eyes, 
shining  under  a  pair  of  false  eyebrows. 

' '  Good  Heavens — Harvey ! ' ' 

"Silence!"  said  the  peddler,  solemnly;  "'tis  a  name 
not  to  be  mentioned,  and  least  of  all  here,  within  the 
heart  of  the  .American  army."  Birch  paused  and  gazed 
around  him  for  a  moment,  with  an  emotion  exceeding  the 
base  passion  of  fear,  and  then  continued  in  a  gloomy  tone, 
"There  are  a  thousand  halters  in  that  very  name,  and 
little  hope  would  there  be  left  me  of  another  escape, 
should  I  be  again  taken.  This  is  a  fearful  venture  that  I 
am  making;  but  I  could  not  sleep  in  quiet,  and  know  that 
an  innocent  man  was  about  to  die  the  death  of  a  dog, 
when  I  might  save  him." 

"No,"  said  Henry,  with  a  glow  of  generous  feeling  on 
his  cheek;  "if  the  risk  to  yourself  be  so  heavy,  retire  as 
you  came,  and  leave  me  to  my  fate.  Dunwoodie  is  mak 
ing,  even  now,  powerful  exertions  in  my  behalf;  and  if 
he  meets  with  Mr.  Harper  in  the  course  of  the  night,  my 
liberation  is  certain." 

"Harper!"  echoed  the  peddler,  remaining  with  his 
hands  raised,  in  the  act  of  replacing  the  spectacles; 
"what  do  you  know  of  Harper?  and  why  do  you  think  he 
will  do  you  service?" 

"I  have  his  promise;  you  remember  our  recent  meeting 
in  my  father's  dwelling,  and  he  then  gave  an  unasked 
promise  to  assist  me." 

"Yes — but  do  you  know  him?  that  is — why  do  you 
think  he  has  the  power?  or  what  reason  have  you  for  be 
lieving  he  will  remember  his  word?" 

"If  there  ever  was  the  stamp  of  truth,  or  simple,  hon 
est  benevolence,  in  the  countenance  of  man,  it  shone  in 
his,"  said  Henry;  "besides,  Dunwoodie  has  powerful 
friends  in  the  rebel  army,  and  it  would  be  better  that  I 
take  the  chance  where  I  am,  than  thus  to  erpose  you  to 
certain  death,  if  detected." 


344  THE   SPY 

"Captain  Wharton,"  said  Birch,  looking  guardedly 
around,  and  speaking  with  impressive  seriousness  of 
manner,  "if  I  fail  you,  all  fail  you.  No  Harper  nor 
Dunwoodie  can  save  your  life;  unless  you  get  out  with 
me,  and  that  within  the  hour,  you  die  to-morrow  on  the 
gallows  of  a  murderer.  Yes,  such  are  their  laws;  the 
man  who  fights,  and  kills,  and  plunders,  is  honored;  but 
he  who  serves  his  country  as  a  spy,  no  matter  how  faith 
fully,  no  matter  how  honestly,  lives  to  be  reviled,  or  dies 
like  the  vilest  criminal!" 

"You  forget,  Mr.  Birch,"  said  the  youth,  a  little  in 
dignantly,  "that  I  am  not  a  treacherous,  lurking  spy, 
who  deceives  to  betray;  but  innocent  of  the  charge 
imputed  to  me." 

The  blood  rushed  over  the  pale,  meagre  features  of  the 
peddler,  until  his  face  was  one  glow  of  fire;  but  it  passed 
quickly  away,  and  he  replied: 

"I  have  told  you  truth.  Caesar  met  me  as  he  was  going 
on  his  errand  this  morning,  and  with  him  I  have  laid  the 
plan  which,  if  executed  as  I  wish,  will  save  you — other 
wise  you  are  lost;  and  I  again  tell  you,  that  no  other 
power  on  earth,  not  even  Washington,  can  save  you." 

"I  submit,"  said  the  prisoner,  yielding  to  his  earnest 
manner,  and  goaded  by  the  fears  that  were  thus  awak 
ened  anew. 

The  peddler  beckoned  him  to  be  silent,  and  walking  to 
the  door,  opened  it,  with  the  stiff,  formal  air  with  which 
he  had  entered  the  apartment. 

"Friend,  let  no  one  enter,"  he  said  to  the  sentinel; 
"we  are  about  to  go  to  prayer,  and  would  wish  to  be 
alone. ' ' 

"I  don't  know  that  any  will  wish  to  interrupt  you," 
returned  the  soldier,  with  a  waggish  leer  of  his  eye; 
"but,  should  they  be  so  disposed,  I  have  no  power  to  stop 
them,  if  they  be  of  the  prisoner's  friends;  I  have  my 
orders,  and  must  mind  them,  whether  the  Englishman 
goes  to  heaven,  or  not. ' ' 

"Audacious  sinner!"  said  the  pretended  priest,  "have 
you  not  the  fear  of  God  before  your  eyes!  I  tell  you,  as 
you  will  dread  punishment  at  the  last  day,  to  let  none  of 


THE   SPY  345 

the  idolatrous  communion  enter,  to  mingle  in  the  pray 
ers  of  the  righteous. ' ' 

"Whew-ew-ew — what  a  noble  commander  you'd  make 
for  Sergeant  Hollister!  you'd  preach  him  dumb  in  a  roll- 
call.  Harkee,  I'll  thank  you  not  to  make  such  a  noise 
when  you  hold  forth,  as  to  drown  our  bugles,  or  you  may 
get  a  poor  fellow  a  short  horn  at  his  grog,  for  not  turn 
ing  out  to  the  evening  parade:  if  you  want  to  be  alone, 
have  you  no  knife  to  stick  over  the  door-latch,  that  you 
must  have  a  troop  of  horse  to  guard  your  meeting 
house?" 

The  peddler  took  the  hint,  and  closed  the  door  imme 
diately,  using  the  precaution  suggested  by  the  dragoon. 

"You  overact  your  part,"  said  young  Wharton,  in  con 
stant  apprehension  of  discovery;  "your  zeal  is  too  intem 
perate.  ' ' 

"For  a  foot-soldier  and  them  Eastern  militia,  it  might 
be,"  said  Harvey,  turning  a  bag  upside  down,  that 
Caesar  now  handed  him;  "but  these  dragoons  are  fellows 
that  you  must  brag  down.  A  faint  heart,  Captain  Whar 
ton,  could  do  but  little  here;  but  come,  here  is  a  black 
shroud  for  your  good-looking  countenance,"  taking,  at 
the  same  time,  a  parchment  mask,  and  fitting  it  to  the 
face  of  Henry.  "The  master  and  the  man  must  change 
places  for  a  season. ' ' 

"I  don't  t'ink  he  look  a  bit  like  me,"  said  Caesar, 
with  disgust,  as  he  surveyed  his  young  master  with  his 
new  complexion. 

"Stop  a  minute,  Caesar,"  said  the  peddler,  with  the 
lurking  drollery  that  at  times  formed  part  of  his  manner, 
"till  we  get  on  the  wool." 

"He  worse  than  ebber  now,"  cried  the  discontented 
African.  "A  t'ink  colored  man  like  a  sheep!  I  nebber 
see  sich  a  lip,  Harvey;  he  most  as  big  as  a  sausage!" 

Great  pains  had  been  taken  in  forming  the  different 
articles  used  in  the  disguise  of  Captain  Wharton,  and 
when  arranged,  under  the  skilful  superintendence  of  the 
peddler,  they  formed  together  a  transformation  that 
would  easily  escape  detection,  from  any  but  an  extraordi 
nary  observer. 

The  mask  was  stuffed  and  shaped  in  such  a  manner  as 


346  THE   SPY 

to  preserve  the  peculiarities,  as  well  as  the  color,  of  the 
African  visage;  and  the  wig  was  so  artfully  formed  of 
black  and  white  wool,  as  to  imitate  the  pepper-and-salt 
color  of  Caesar's  own  head,  and  to  exact  plaudits  from  the 
black  himself,  who  thought  it  an  excellent  counterfeit  in 
everything  but  quality. 

"There  is  but  one  man  in  the  American  army  who 
could  detect  you,  Captain  Wharton, "  said  the  peddler, 
surveying  his  work  with  satisfaction,  "and  he  is  just  now 
out  of  our  way. ' ' 

"And  who  is  he?" 

"The  man  who  made  you  prisoner.  He  would  see  your 
white  skin  through  a  plank.  But  strip,  both  of  you; 
your  clothes  must  be  exchanged  from  head  to  foot." 

Caesar,  who  had  received  minute  instructions  from  the 
peddler  in  their  morning  interview,  immediately  com 
menced  throwing  aside  his  coarse  garments,  which  the 
youth  took  up  and  prepared  to  invest  himself  with;  una 
ble,  however,  to  repress  a  few  signs  of  loathing. 

In  the  manner  of  the  peddler  there  was  an  odd  mixture 
of  care  and  humor ;  the  former  was  the  result  of  a  perfect 
knowledge  of  their  danger,  and  the  means  necessary  to  be 
used  in  avoiding  it;  and  the  latter  proceeded  from  the 
unavoidably  ludicrous  circumstances  before  him,  acting 
on  an  indifference  which  sprang  from  habit,  and  long 
familiarity  with  such  scenes  as  the  present. 

"Here,  captain,"  he  said,  taking  up  some  loose  wool, 
and  beginning  to  stuff  the  stockings  of  Caesar,  which 
were  already  on  the  leg  of  the  prisoner;  "some  judgment 
is  necessary  in  shaping  this  limb.  You  will  have  to  dis 
play  it  on  horseback;  and  the  Southern  dragoons  are  so 
used  to  the  brittle-shins,  that  should  they  notice  your 
well-turned  calf,  they'd  know  at  once  it  never  belonged 
to  a  black. ' ' 

"Golly!"  said  Caesar,  with  a  chuckle,  that  exhibited  a 
mouth  open  from  ear  to  ear,  "Massa  Harry  breeches  fit." 

"Anything  but  your  leg,"  said  the  peddler,  coolly  pur 
suing  the  toilet  of  Henry.  "Slip  on  the  coat,  captain, 
over  all.  Upon  my  word,  you'd  pass  well  at  a  pinkster 
frolic;  and  here,  Caesar,  place  this  powdered  wig  over 
your  curls,  and  be  careful  and  look  out  of  the  window, 


THE   SPY  347 

whenever  the  door  is  open,  and  on  no  account  speak,  or 
you  will  betray  all." 

"Is'pose  Harvey t'ink a  colored  man  ain't  gota  tongue 
like  oder  folk,"  grumbled  the  black,  as  he  took  the  sta 
tion  assigned  to  him. 

Everything  now  was  arranged  for  action,  and  the  ped 
dler  very  deliberately  went  over  the  whole  of  his  injunc 
tions  to  the  two  actors  in  the  scene.  The  captain  he  con 
jured  to  dispense  with  his  erect  military  carriage,  and 
for  a  season  to  adopt  the  humble  paces  of  his  father's 
negro;  and  Caesar  he  enjoined  to  silence  and  disguise,  so 
long  as  he  could  possibly  maintain  them.  Thus  prepared, 
he  opened  the  door,  and  called  aloud  to  the  sentinel,  who 
had  retired  to  the  farthest  end  of  the  passage,  in  order  to 
avoid  receiving  any  of  that  spiritual  comfort,  which  he 
felt  was  the  sole  property  of  another. 

"Let  the  woman  of  the  house  be  called,"  said  Harvey, 
in  solemn  key  of  his  assumed  character;  "and  let  her 
come  alone.  The  prisoner  is  in  a  happy  train  of  medita 
tion,  and  must  not  be  led  from  his  devotions." 

Caesar  sank  his  face  between  his  hands;  and  when  the 
soldier  looked  into  the  apartment,  he  thought  he  saw  his 
charge  in  deep  abstraction.  Casting  a  glance  of  huge 
contempt  at  the  divine,  he  called  aloud  for  the  good 
woman  of  the  house.  She  hastened  at  the  summons, 
with  earnest  zeal,  entertaining  a  secret  hope  that  she  was 
to  be  admitted  to  the  gossip  of  a  death-bed  repentance. 

"Sister,"  said  the  minister,  in  the  authoritative  tones 
of  a  master,  "have  you  in  the  house 'The  Christian  Crimi 
nal's  Last  Moments,  or  Thoughts  on  Eternity,  for  Them 
who  Die  a  Violent  Death?'  ' 

"I  never  heard  of  the  book!"  said  the  matron  in  aston 
ishment. 

"'Tis  not  unlikely;  there  are  many  books  you  have 
never  heard  of:  it  is  impossible  for  this  poor  penitent  to 
pass  in  peace,  without  the  consolations  of  that  volume. 
One  hour's  reading  in  it  is  worth  an  age  of  man's 
preaching." 

"Bless  me,  what  a  treasure  to  possess! — when  was  it 
put  out?" 

"It  was  first  put  out  at  Geneva  in  the  Greek  language, 


348  THE   SPY 

and  then  translated  at  Boston.  It  is  a  book,  woman,  that 
should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  Christian,  especially  such 
as  die  upon  the  gallows.  Have  a  horse  prepared  instantly 
for  this  black,  who  shall  accompany  me  to  my  Brother 

,  and  I  will  send  down  the  volume  yet  in  season. 

Brother,  compose  thy  mind;  you  are  now  in  the  narrow 
path  to  glory. ' ' 

Caesar  wriggled  a  little  in  his  chair,  but  he  had  suffi 
cient  recollection  to  conceal  his  face  with  hands  that 
were,  in  their  turn,  concealed  by  gloves.  The  landlady 
departed,  to  comply  with  this  very  reasonable  request, 
and  the  group  of  conspirators  were  again  left  to  them 
selves. 

"This  is  well,"  said  the  peddler;  "but  the  difficult  task 
is  to  deceive  the  officer  who  commands  the  guard — he  is 
lieutenant  to  Lawton,  and  has  learned  some  of  the  cap 
tain's  own  cunning  in  these  things.  Remember,  Captain 
Wharton, "  continued  he  with  an  air  of  pride,  "that  now 
is  the  moment  when  everything  depends  on  our  coolness. ' ' 

"My  fate  can  be  made  but  little  worse  than  it  is  at 
present,  my  worthy  fellow,"  said  Henry;  "but  for  your 
sake  I  will  do  all  that  in  me  lies." 

"And  wherein  can  I  be  more  forlorn  and  persecuted 
than  I  now  am?"  asked  the  peddler,  with  that  wild  inco 
herence  which  often  crossed  his  manner.  "But  I  have 
promised  one  to  save  you,  and  to  him  I  have  never  yet 
broken  my  word." 

"And  who  is  he?"  said  Henry,  with  awakened  interest. 

"No  one." 

The  man  soon  returned,  and  announced  that  the  horses 
were  at  the  door.  Harvey  gave  the  captain  a  glance,  and 
led  the  way  down  the  stairs,  first  desiring  the  woman  to 
leave  the  prisoner  to  himself,  in  order  that  he  might 
digest  the  wholesome  mental  food  that  he  had  so  lately 
received. 

A  rumor  of  the  odd  character  of  the  priest  had  spread 
from  the  sentinel  at  the  door  to  his  comrades;  so  that 
when  Harvey  and  Wharton  reached  the  open  space  before 
the  building,  they  found  a  dozen  idle  dragoons  loitering 
about  with  the  waggish  intention  of  quizzing  the  fanatic, 
and  employed  in  affected  admiration  of  the  steeds. 


THE   SPY  349 

"A  fine  horse!"  said  the  leader  in  this  plan  of  mis 
chief;  "but  a  little  low  in  flesh;  I  suppose  from  hard 
labor  in  your  calling." 

"My  calling  may  be  laborsome  to  both  myself  and  this 
faithful  beast,  but  then  a  day  of  settling  is  at  hand,  that 
will  reward  me  for  all  my  outgoings  and  incomings," 
said  Birch,  putting  his  foot  in  the  stirrup,  and  preparing 
to  mount. 

"You  work  for  pay,  then,  as  we  fight  for't?"  cried 
another  of  the  party. 

"Even  so — is  not  the  laborer  worthy  of  his  hire?" 

"Come,  suppose  you  give  us  a  little  preaching;  we 
have  a  leisure  moment  just  now,  and  there's  no  telling 
how  much  good  you  might  do  a  set  of  reprobates  like  us, 
in  a  few  words;  here,  mount  this  horseblock,  and  take 
your  text  where  you  please. ' ' 

The  men  now  gathered  in  eager  delight  around  the  ped 
dler,  who,  glancing  his  eye  expressively  towards  the  cap 
tain,  who  had  been  suffered  to  mount,  replied: 

"Doubtless,  for  such  is  my  duty.  But,  Cassar,  you  can 
ride  up  the  road  and  deliver  the  note — the  unhappy  pris 
oner  will  be  wanting  the  book,  for  his  hours  are  num 
bered." 

"Aye,  aye,  go  along,  Caesar,  and  get  the  book," 
shouted  half  a  dozen  voices,  all  crowding  eagerly  around 
the  ideal  priest,  in  anticipation  of  a  frolic. 

The  peddler  inwardly  dreaded,  that,  in  their  uncere 
monious  handling  of  himself  and  garments,  his  hat  and 
wig  might  be  displaced,  when  detection  would  be  certain; 
he  was  therefore  fain  to  comply  with  their  request.  As 
cending  the  horseblock,  after  hemming  once  or  twice,  and 
casting  several  glances  at  the  captain,  who  continued 
immovable,  he  commenced  as  follows: 

"I  shall  call  your  attention,  my  brethren,  to  that  por 
tion  of  Scripture  which  you  will  find  in  the  second  book 
of  Samuel,  and  which  is  written  in  the  following  words: 
— "And  the  king  lamented  over  Abner,  and  said,  Died 
Abner  as  a  fool  dieth  ?  Thy  hands  were  not  bound,  nor 
thy  feet  put  into  fetters :  as  the  man  falleth  before  wicked 
men,  so  fattest  thou.  And  all  the  people  wept  again  over 
him.  Caesar,  ride  forward,  I  say,  and  obtain  the  book 


350  THE   SPY 

as  directed;  thy  master  is  groaning  in  spirit  even  now 
for  the  want  of  it. ' ' 

"An  excellent  text!"  cried  the  dragoons.  "Goon — go 
on — let  the  snowball  stay;  he  wants  to  be  edified  as  well 
as  another. ' ' 

"What  are  you  at  there,  scoundrels?"  cried  Lieutenant 
Mason,  as  he  came  in  sight  from  a  walk  he  had  taken  to 
sneer  at  the  evening  parade  of  the  regiment  of  militia; 
"away  with  every  man  of  you  to  your  quarters,  and  let 
me  find  that  each  horse  is  cleaned  and  littered,  when  I 
come  round."  The  sound  of  the  officer's  voice  operated 
like  a  charm,  and  no  priest  could  desire  a  more  silent 
congregation,  although  he  might  possibly  have  wished  for 
one  that  was  more  numerous.  Mason  had  not  done  speak 
ing,  when  it  was  reduced  to  the  image  of  Csesar  only. 
The  peddler  took  that  opportunity  to  mount,  but  he  had 
to  preserve  the  gravity  of  his  movements,  for  the  remark 
of  the  trooper  upon  the  condition  of  their  beasts  was  but 
too  just,  and  a  dozen  dragoon  horses  stood  saddled  and 
bridled  at  hand,  ready  to  receive  their  riders  at  a  mo 
ment's  warning. 

"Well,  have  you  bitted  the  poor  fellow  within,"  said 
Mason,  "that  he  can  take  his  last  ride  under  the  curb  of 
divinity,  old  gentleman?" 

"There  is  evil  in  thy  conversation,  profane  man," 
cried  the  priest,  raising  his  hands  and  casting  his  eyes 
upwards  in  holy  horror;  "so  I  will  depart  from  thee 
unhurt,  as  Daniel  was  liberated  from  the  lion's  den." 

"Off  with  you,  for  a  hypocritical,  psalm-singing,  cant 
ing  rogue  in  disguise,"  said  Mason,  scornfully;  "by  the 
life  of  Washington!  it  worries  an  honest  fellow  to  see 
such  voracious  beasts  of  prey  ravaging  a  country  for 
which  he  sheds  his  blood.  If  I  had  you  on  a  Virginia 
plantation  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  I'd  teach  you  to 
worm  the  tobacco  with  the  turkeys. ' ' 

"I  leave  you,  and  shake  the  dust  off  my  shoes,  that  no 
remnant  of  this  wicked  hole  may  tarnish  the  vestments  of 
the  godly." 

"Start,  or  I  will  shake  the  dust  from  your  jacket,  de 
signing  knave!  A  fellow  to  be  preaching  to  my  men! 
There's  Hollister  put  the  devil  in  them  by  his  exhorting; 


THE   SPY  351 

the  rascals  were  getting  too  conscientious  to  strike  a 
blow  that  would  raze  the  skin.  But  hold!  whither  do 
you  travel,  Master  Blackey,  in  such  godly  company?" 

"He  goes,"  said  the  minister,  hastily  speaking  for  his 
companion,  "to  return  with  a  book  of  much  condolence 
and  virtue  to  the  sinful  youth  above,  whose  soul  will 
speedily  become  white,  even  as  his  outwards  are  black 
and  unseemly.  Would  you  deprive  a  dying  man  of  the 
consolation  of  religion?" 

"No,  no,  poor  fellow,  his  fate  is  bad  enough;  a  famous 
good  breakfast  his  prim  body  of  an  aunt  gave  us.  But 
harkee,  Mr.  Revelation,  if  the  youth  must  die  secundum 
artem,  let  it  be  under  a  gentleman's  directions,  and  my 
advice  is,  that  you  never  trust  that  skeleton  of  yours 
among  us  again,  or  I  will  take  the  skin  off  and  leave  you 
naked." 

"Out  upon  thee  for  a  reviler  and  scoffer  of  goodness!" 
said  Birch,  moving  slowly,  and  with  a  due  observance  of 
clerical  dignity,  down  the  road,  followed  by  the  imagi 
nary  Caesar;  "but  I  leave  thee,  and  that  behind  me  that 
will  prove  thy  condemnation,  and  take  from  thee  a  hearty 
and  joyful  deliverance." 

"Damn  him,"  muttered  the  trooper;  "the  fellow  rides 
like  a  stake,  and  his  legs  stick  out  like  the  cocks  of  his 
hat.  I  wish  I  had  him  below  these  hills,  where  the  law 
is  not  overparticular,  I'd — 

"Corporal  of  the  guard! — corporal  of  the  guard!" 
shouted  the  sentinel  in  the  passage  to  the  chambers,  "cor 
poral  of  the  guard!— corporal  of  the  guard!" 

The  subaltern  flew  up  the  narrow  stairway  that  led  to 
the  room  of  the  prisoner,  and  demanded  the  meaning  of 
the  outcry. 

The  soldier  was  standing  at  the  open  door  of  the  apart 
ment,  looking  in  with  a  suspicious  eye  on  the  supposed 
British  officer.  On  observing  his  lieutenant,  he  fell  back 
with  habitual  respect,  and  replied,  with  an  air  of  puzzled 
thought: 

"I  don't  know,  sir;  but  just  now  the  prisoner  looked 
queer.  Ever  since  the  preacher  has  left  him,  he  don't 
look  as  he  used  to  do — but,"  gazing  intently  over  the 
shoulder  of  his  officer,  "it  must  be  him,  too.'  There  is 


352  THE   SPY 

the  same  powdered  head,  and  the  darn  in  the  coat,  where 
he  was  hit  the  day  we  had  the  last  brush  with  the  enemy. ' ' 

"And  then  all  this  noise  is  occasioned  by  your  doubt 
ing  whether  that  poor  gentleman  is  your  prisoner,  or  not, 
is  it,  sirrah?  Who  the  devil  do  you  think  it  can  be, 
else?" 

"I  don't  know  who  else  it  can  be,"  returned  the  fel 
low,  sullenly;  "but  he  has  grown  thicker  and  shorter,  if 
it  is  he;  and  see  for  yourself,  sir,  he  shakes  all  over,  like 
a  man  in  an  ague." 

This  was  but  too  true.  Cassar  was  an  alarmed  auditor 
of  this  short  conversation,  and,  from  congratulating  him 
self  upon  the  dexterous  escape  of  his  young  master,  his 
thoughts  were  very  naturally  beginning  to  dwell  upon  the 
probable  consequences  to  his  own  person.  The  pause  that 
succeeded  the  last  remark  of  the  sentinel,  in  no  degree 
contributed  to  the  restoration  of  his  faculties.  Lieuten 
ant  Mason  was  busied  in  examining  with  his  own  eyes  the 
suspected  person  of  the  black,  and  Caesar  was  aware  of 
the  fact  by  stealing  a  look  through  a  passage  under  one 
of  his  arms,  that  he  had  left  expressly  for  the  purpose  of 
reconnoitring.  Captain  Lawton  would  have  discovered 
the  fraud  immediately,  but  Mason  was  by  no  means  so 
quick-sighted  as  his  commander.  He  therefore  turned 
rather  contemptuously  to  the  soldier,  and,  speaking  in  an 
undertone,  observed: 

"That  anabaptist,  method istical,  quaker,  psalm-sing 
ing  rascal  has  frightened  the  boy,  with  his  farrago  about 
flames  and  brimstone.  I'll  step  in  and  cheer  him  with  a 
little  rational  conversation." 

"I  have  heard  of  fear  making  a  man  white,"  said  the 
soldier,  drawing  back,  and  staring  as  if  his  eyes  would 
start  from  their  sockets,  "but  it  has  changed  the  royal 
captain  to  a  black!" 

The  truth  was,  that  Cassar,  unable  to  hear  what  Mason 
uttered  in  a  low  voice,  and  having  every  fear  aroused  in 
him  by  what  had  already  passed,  incautiously  removed  the 
wig  a  little  from  one  of  his  ears,  in  order  to  hear  the 
better,  without  in  the  least  remembering  that  its  color 
might  prove  fatal  to  his  disguise.  The  sentinel  had  kept 
his  eyes  fastened  on  his  prisoner,  and  noticed  the  action. 


THE   SPY  353 

The  attention  of  Mason  was  instantly  drawn  to  the  same 
object;  and,  forgetting  all  delicacy  for  a  brother  officer 
in  distress,  or,  in  short,  forgetting  everything  but  the 
censure  that  might  alight  on  his  corps,  the  lieutenant 
sprang  forward  and  seized  the  terrified  African  by  the 
throat;  for  no  sooner  had  Caesar  heard  his  color  named, 
than  he  knew  his  discovery  was  certain;  and  at  the  first 
sound  of  Mason's  heavy  boot  on  the  floor,  he  arose  from 
his  seat,  and  retreated  precipitately  to  a  corner  of  the 
room. 

"Who  are  you?"  cried  Mason,  dashing  the  head  of  the 
old  man  against  the  angle  of  the  wall  at  each  interroga 
tory,  "who  the  devil  are  you,  and  where  is  the  English 
man?  Speak,  thou  thundercloud !  Answer  me,  you  jack 
daw,  or  I'll  hang  you  on  the  gallows  of  the  spy!" 

Caesar  continued  firm.  Neither  the  threats  nor  the 
blows  could  extract  any  reply,  until  the  lieutenant,  by  a 
very  natural  transition  in  the  attack,  sent  his  heavy  boot 
forward  in  a  direction  that  brought  it  in  direct  contact 
with  the  most  sensitive  part  of  the  negro — his  shin. 

The  most  obdurate  heart  could  not  have  exacted  further 
patience,  and  Caesar  instantly  gave  in.  The  first  words 
he  spoke  were: 

"Golly!  massa,  you  t'ink  I  got  no  feelin'?" 

"By  heavens!"  shouted  the  lieutenant,  "it  is  the  negro 
himself!  Scoundrel!  where  is  your  master,  and  who  was 
the  priest?"  While  speaking,  he  made  a  movement  as  if 
about  to  renew  the  attack;  but  Caesar  cried  aloud  for 
mercy,  promising  to  tell  all  that  he  knew. 

"Who  was  the  priest?"  repeated  the  dragoon,  drawing 
back  his  formidable  leg,  and  holding  it  in  threatening 
suspense. 

"Harvey,  Harvey!"  cried  Caesar,  dancing  from  one  leg 
to  the  other,  as  he  thought  each  member  in  turn  might 
be  assailed. 

"Harvey  who,  you  black  villain?"  cried  the  impa 
tient  lieutenant,  as  he  executed  a  full  measure  of  ven 
geance  by  letting  his  leg  fly. 

"Birch!"  shrieked  Caesar,  falling  on  his  knees,  the 
tears  rolling  in  large  drops  over  his  shining  face. 

"Harvey  Birch!"  echoed  the  trooper,  hurling  the  black 

23 


354  THE   SPY 

from  him,  and  rushing  from  the  room.  "To  arms!  to 
arms!  Fifty  guineas  for  the  life  of  the  peddler  spy — 
give  no  quarter  to  either.  Mount,  mount!  to  arms!  to 
horse!" 

During  the  uproar  occasioned  by  the  assembling  of  the 
dragoons,  who  all  rushed  tumultuously  to  their  horses, 
Caesar  rose  from  the  floor,  where  he  had  been  thrown  by 
Mason,  and  began  to  examine  into  his  injuries.  Happily 
for  himself,  he  had  alighted  on  his  head,  and  consequently 
sustained  no  material  damage. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

"  Away  went  Gilpin,  neck  or  naught, 

Away  went  hat  and  wig  ; 
He  little  dreamt,  when  he  set  out. 
Of  running  such  a  rig." 

— COWPER. 

THE  road  which  it  was  necessary  for  the  peddler  and 
the  English  captain  to  travel,  in  order  to  reach  the  shel 
ter  of  the  hills,  lay,  for  a  half-mile,  in  full  view  from 
the  door  of  the  building  that  had  so  recently  been  the 
prison  of  the  latter;  running  for  the  whole  distance  over 
the  rich  plain,  that  spreads  to  the  very  foot  of  the  moun 
tains,  which  here  rise  in  a  nearly  perpendicular  ascent 
from  their  bases;  it  then  turned  short  to  the  right,  and 
was  obliged  to  follow  the  windings  of  nature,  as  it  won 
its  way  into  the  bosom  of  the  Highlands. 

To  preserve  the  supposed  difference  in  their  stations, 
Harvey  rode  a  short  distance  ahead  of  his  companion,  and 
maintained  the  sober,  dignified  pace,  that  was  suited  to 
his  assumed  character.  On  their  right,  the  regiment  of 
foot,  that  we  have  already  mentioned,  lay  in  tents;  and 
the  sentinels  who  guarded  their  encampment  were  to  be 
seen  moving  with  measured  tread  under  the  hills  them 
selves. 

The  first  impulse  of  Henry  was,  certainly,  to  urge  the 
beast  he  rode  to  his  greatest  speed  at  once,  and  by  a  coup- 
de-main  not  only  accomplish  his  escape,  but  relieve  him 
self  from  the  torturing  suspense  of  his  situation.  But 
the  forward  movement  that  the  youth  made  for  this  pur 
pose  was  instantly  checked  by  the  peddler. 

"Hold  up!"  he  cried,  dexterously  reining  his  own 
horse  across  the  path  of  the  other;  "would  you  ruin  us 
both?  Fall  into  the  place  of  a  black,  following  his  mas 
ter.  Did  you  not  see  their  blooded  chargers,  all  saddled 
and  bridled  standing  in  the  sun  before  the  house?  How 

355 


356  THE   SPY 

long  do  you  think  that  miserable  Dutch  horse  you  are  on 
would  hold  his  speed,  if  pursued  by  the  Virginians? 
Every  foot  that  we  can  gain,  without  giving  the  alarm, 
counts  a  day  in  our  lives.  Ride  steadily  after  me,  and 
on  no  account  look  back.  They  are  as  subtle  as  foxes, 
aye,  and  as  ravenous  for  blood  as  wolves!" 

Henry  reluctantly  restrained  his  impatience,  and  fol 
lowed  the  direction  of  the  peddler.  His  imagination, 
however,  continually  alarmed  him  with  the  fancied  sounds 
of  pursuit,  though  Birch,  who  occasionally  looked  back 
under  the  pretence  of  addressing  his  companion,  assured 
him  that  all  continued  quiet  and  peaceful. 

"But,"  said  Henry,  ''it  will  not  be  possible  for  Caesar 
to  remain  long  undiscovered.  Had  we  not  better  put  our 
horses  to  the  gallop,  and  by  the  time  they  can  reflect  on 
the  cause  of  our  flight,  we  can  reach  the  corner  of  the 
woods?" 

"Ah!  you  little  know  them,  Captain  Wharton,"  re 
turned  the  peddler;  "there  is  a  sergeant  at  this  moment 
looking  after  us,  as  if  he  thought  all  was  not  right;  the 
keen-eyed  fellow  watches  me  like  a  tiger  lying  in  wait 
for  his  leap.  When  I  stood  on  the  horseblock,  he  half 
suspected  that  something  was  wrong.  Nay,  check  your 
beast — we  must  let  the  animals  walk  a  little,  for  he  is 
laying  his  hand  on  the  pommel  of  his  saddle.  If  he 
mounts,  we  are  gone.  The  foot-soldiers  could  reach  us 
with  their  muskets." 

"What  does  he  now?"  asked  Henry,  reining  his  horse 
to  a  walk,  but  at  the  same  time  pressing  his  heels  into 
the  animal's  sides,  to  be  in  readiness  for  a  spring. 

"He  turns  from  his  charger,  and  looks  the  other  way, 
now  trot  on  gently — not  so  fast — not  so  fast.  Observe 
the  sentinel  in  the  field,  a  little  ahead  of  us — he  eyes  us 
keenly. ' ' 

"Never  mind  the  foot-man,"  said  Henry,  impatiently; 
"he  can  do  nothing  but  shoot  us — whereas  these  dragoons 
may  make  me  a  captive  again.  Surely,  Harvey,  there 
are  horses  moving  down  the  road  behind  us.  Do  you  see 
nothing  particular?" 

"Humph!"  ejaculated  the  peddler;  "there  is  something 
particular,  indeed,  to  be  seen  behind  the  thicket  on  our 


THE   SPY  357 

left.  Turn  your  head  a  little,  and  you  may  see  and  profit 
by  it  too." 

Henry  eagerly  seized  this  permission  to  look  aside,  and 
the  blood  curdled  to  his  heart  as  he  observed  that  they 
were  passing1  a  gallows,  which  unquestionably  had  been 
erected  for  his  own  execution.  He  turned  his  face  from 
the  sight,  in  undisguised  horror. 

"There  is  a  warning  to  be  prudent,"  said  the  peddler, 
in  the  sententious  manner  that  he  often  adopted. 

"It  is  a  terrific  sight,  indeed!"  cried  Henry,  for  a 
moment  veiling  his  eyes  with  his  hand,  as  if  to  drive  a 
vision  from  before  him. 

The  peddler  moved  his  body  partly  around,  and  spoke 
with  energetic  but  gloomy  bitterness:  "And  yet,  Captain 
Wharton,  you  see  it  where  the  setting  sun  shines  full 
upon  you;  the  air  you  breathe  is  clear,  and  fresh  from 
the  hills  before  you.  Every  step  that  you  take  leaves 
that  hated  gallows  behind;  and  every  dark  hollow,  and 
every  shapeless  rock  in  the  mountains,  offers  you  a  hid 
ing-place  from  the  vengeance  of  your  enemies.  But  I 
have  seen  the  gibbet  raised,  when  no  place  of  refuge 
offered.  Twice  have  I  been  buried  in  dungeons,  where, 
fettered  and  in  chains,  I  have  passed  nights  in  torture, 
looking  forward  to  the  morning's  dawn  that  was  to  light 
me  to  a  death  of  infamy.  The  sweat  has  started  from 
limbs  that  seemed  already  drained  of  their  moisture;  and 
if  I  ventured  to  the  hole  that  admitted  air  through  grates 
of  iron  to  look  out  upon  the  smiles  of  nature,  which  God 
has  bestowed  for  the  meanest  of  His  creatures,  the  gib 
bet  has  glared  before  my  eyes,  like  an  evil  conscience 
harrowing  the  soul  of  a  dying  man.  Four  times  have  I 
been  in  their  power,  besides,  this  last;  but — twice — did  I 
think  my  hour  had  come.  It  is  hard  to  die  at  the  best, 
Captain  Wharton;  but  to  spend  your  last  moments  alone 
and  unpitied,  to  know  that  none  near  you  so  much  as 
thinks  of  the  fate  that  is  to  you  the  closing  of  all  that  is 
earthly;  to  think  that,  in  a  few  hours,  you  are  to  be  led 
from  the  gloom,  which,  as  you  dwell  on  what  follows, 
becomes  dear  to  you,  to  the  face  of  day,  and  there  to 
meet  all  eyes  fixed  upon  you,  as  if  you  were  a  wild  beast; 
and  to  lose  sight  of  everything  amidst  the  jeers  and  scoffs 


3C3  THE   SPY 

of  your  fellow-creatures — that,  Captain  Wharton,  that 
indeed  is  to  die!" 

Henry  listened  in  amazement,  as  his  companion  uttered 
this  speech  with  a  vehemence  altogether  new  to  him;  both 
seemed  to  have  forgotten  their  danger  and  their  disguises. 

"What!  were  you  ever  so  near  death  as  that?" 

"Have  I  not  been  the  hunted  beast  of  these  hills  for 
three  years  past?"  resumed  Harvey;  "and  once  they  even 
led  me  to  the  foot  of  the  gallows  itself,  and  I  escaped 
only  by  an  alarm  from  the  royal  troops.  Had  they  been  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  later,  I  must  have  died.  There  was  I 
placed  in  the  midst  of  unfeeling  men,  and  gaping  women 
and  children,  as  a  monster  to  be  cursed.  When  I  would 
pray  to  God,  my  ears  were  insulted  with  the  history  of 
my  crimes;  and  when,  in  all  that  multitude,  I  looked 
around  for  a  single  face  that  showed  me  any  pity,  I  could 
find  none — no,  not  even  one;  all  cursed  me  as  a  wretch 
who  would  sell  his  country  for  gold.  The  sun  was 
brighter  to  my  eyes  than  common — but  it  was  the  last 
time  I  should  see  it.  The  fields  were  gay  and  pleasant, 
and  everything  seemed  as  if  this  world  was  a  kind  of 
heaven.  Oh!  how  sweet  life  was  to  me  at  that  moment! 
'Twas  a  dreadful  hour,  Captain  Wharton,  and  such  as  you 
have  never  known.  You  have  friends  to  feel  for  you, 
but  I  had  none  but  a  father  to  mourn  my  loss,  when  he 
might  hear  of  it;  but  there  was  no  pity,  no  consolation 
near,  to  soothe  my  anguish.  Everything  seemed  to  have 
deserted  me.  I  even  thought  that  HE  had  forgotten  that 
I  lived." 

"What!  did  you  feel  that  God  Himself  had  forgotten 
you,  Harvey?" 

"God  never  forsakes  His  servants, "  returned  Birch, 
with  reverence,  and  exhibiting  naturally  a  devotion  that 
hitherto  he  had  only  assumed. 

"And  whom  did  you  mean  by  HE?" 

The  peddler  raised  himself  in  his  saddle  to  the  stiff  and 
upright  posture  that  was  suited  to  his  outward  appear 
ance.  The  look  of  fire  that  for  a  short  time  glowed  on 
his  countenance  disappeared  in  the  solemn  lines  of  un 
bending  self-abasement,  and,  speaking  as  if  addressing  a 
negro,  he  replied: 


THE   SPY  359 

"In  heaven  there  is  no  distinction  of  color,  my  brother, 
therefore  you  have  a  precious  charge  within  you,  that  you 
must  hereafter  render  an  account  of;"  dropping  his  voice 
— "this  is  the  last  sentinel  near  the  road;  look  not  back, 
as  you  value  your  life." 

Henry  remembered  his  situation,  and  instantly  assumed 
the  humble  demeanor  of  his  adopted  character.  The 
unaccountable  energy  of  the  peddler's  manner  was  soon 
forgotten  in  the  sense  of  his  own  immediate  danger;  and 
with  the  recollection  of  his  critical  situation  returned  all 
the  uneasiness  that  he  had  momentarily  forgotten. 

"What  see  you,  Harvey?"  he  cried,  observing  the  ped 
dler  to  gaze  towards  the  building  they  had  left,  with 
ominous  interest;  "what  see  you  at  the  house?" 

"That  which  bodes  no  good  to  us,"  returned  the  pre 
tended  priest.  "Throw  aside  the  mask  and  wig;  you  will 
need  all  your  senses  without  much  delay;  throw  them  in 
the  road:  there  are  none  before  us  that  I  dread,  but  there 
are  those  behind  who  will  give  us  a  fearful  race!" 

"Nay,  then,"  cried  the  captain,  casting  the  implements 
of  his  disguise  into  the  highway;  "let  us  improve  our 
time  to  the  utmost.  We  want  a  full  quarter  to  the  turn; 
why  not  push  for  it,  at  once?" 

"Be  cool;  they  are  in  alarm,  but  they  will  not  mount 
without  an  officer,  unless  they  see  us  fly — now  he  comes,  he 
moves  to  the  stables;  trots  briskly;  a  dozen  are  in  their 
saddles,  but  the  officer  stops  to  tighten  his  girths;  they 
hope  to  steal  a  march  upon  us;  he  is  mounted;  now  ride, 
Captain  Wharton,  for  your  life,  and  keep  at  my  heels. 
If  you  quit  me,  you  will  be  lost!"  . 

A  second  request  was  unnecessary.  The  instant  that 
Harvey  put  his  horse  to  his  speed,  Captain  Wharton  was 
at  his  heels,  urging  the  miserable  animal  he  rode  to  the 
utmost.  Birch  had  selected  his  own  beast;  and  although 
vastly  inferior  to  the  high-fed  and  blooded  chargers  of 
the  dragoons,  still  it  was  much  superior  to  the  little  pony 
that  had  been  thought  good  enough  to  carry  Caesar 
Thompson  on  an  errand.  A  very  few  jumps  convinced 
the  captain  that  his  companion  was  fast  leaving  him,  and 
a  fearful  glance  thrown  behind  informed  the  fugitive 
that  his  enemies  were  as  speedily  approaching.  With 


360  THE   SPY 

that  abandonment  that  makes  misery  doubly  grievous, 
when  it  is  to  be  supported  alone,  Henry  cried  aloud  to 
the  peddler  not  to  desert  him.  Harvey  instantly  drew 
up,  and  suffered  his  companion  to  run  alongside  of  his 
own  horse.  The  cocked  hat  and  wig  of  the  peddler  fell 
from  his  head  the  moment  that  his  steed  began  to  move 
briskly,  and  this  development  of  their  disguise,  as  it 
might  be  termed,  was  witnessed  by  the  dragoons,  who 
announced  their  observation  by  a  boisterous  shout,  that 
seemed  to  be  uttered  in  the  very  ears  of  the  fugitives;  so 
loud  was  the  cry,  and  so  short  the  distance  between 
them. 

"Had  we  not  better  leave  our  horses?"  said  Henry, 
"and  make  for  the  hills  across  the  fields,  on  our  left? — 
the  fence  will  stop  our  pursuers." 

"That  way  lies  the  gallows,"  returned  the  peddler; 
"these  fellows  go  three  feet  to  our  two,  and  would  mind 
the  fences  no  more  than  we  do  these  ruts;  but  it  is  a 
short  quarter  to  the  turn,  and  there  are  two  roads  behind 
the  wood.  They  may  stand  to  chose  until  they  can  take 
the  track,  and  we  shall  gain  a  little  upon  them  there." 

"But  this  miserable  horse  is  blown  already,"  cried 
Henry  urging  his  beast  with  the  end  of  his  bridle,  at  the 
same  time  that  Harvey  aided  his  efforts  by  applying  the 
lash  of  a  heavy  riding- whip  he  carried;  "he  will  never 
stand  it  for  half  a  mile  farther." 

"A  quarter  will  do;  a  quarter  will  do,"  said  the  ped 
dler;  "a  single  quarter  will  save  us,  if  you  follow  my 
directions." 

Somewhat  cheered  by  the  cool  and  confident  manner  of 
his  companion,  Henry  continued  silently  urging  his  horse 
forward.  A  few  moments  brought  them  to  the  desired 
turn,  and  as  they  doubled  round  a  point  of  low  under 
brush,  the  fugitives  caught  a  glimpse  of  their  pursuers 
scattered  along  the  highway.  Mason  and  the  sergeant 
being  better  mounted  than  the  rest  of  the  party,  were 
much  nearer  to  their  heels  than  even  the  peddler  thought 
could  be  possible. 

At  the  foot  of  the  hills,  and  for  some  distance  up  the 
dark  valley  that  wound  among  the  mountains,  a  thick 
•underwood  of  saplings  had  been  suffered  to  shoot  up, 


THE   SPY  361 

where  the  heavier  growth  was  felled  for  the  sake  of  fuel. 
At  the  sight  of  this  cover,  Henry  again  urged  the  ped 
dler  to  dismount,  and  to  plunge  into  the  woods;  but  his 
request  was  promptly  refused.  The  two  roads,  before 
mentioned,  met  at  a  very  sharp  angle  at  a  short  distance 
from  the  turn,  and  both  were  circuitous,  so  that  but  little 
of  either  could  be  seen  at  a  time.  The  peddler  took  the 
one  which  led  to  the  left,  but  held  it  only  a  moment  for, 
on  reaching  a  partial  opening  in  the  thicket,  he  darted 
across  into  the  right-hand  path,  and  led  the  way  up  a 
steep  ascent,  which  lay  directly  before  them.  This 
manoeuvre  saved  them.  On  reaching  the  fork,  the 
dragoons  followed  the  track  and  passed  the  spot  where 
the  fugitives  had  crossed  to  the  other  road,  before  they 
missed  the  marks  of  the  footsteps.  Their  loud  cries  were 
heard  by  Henry  and  the  peddler,  as  their  wearied  and 
breathless  animals  toiled  up  the  hill,  ordering  their  com 
rades  in  the  rear  to  ride  in  the  right  direction.  The  cap 
tain  again  proposed  to  leave  their  horses  and  dash  into 
the  thicket. 

"Not  yet,  not  yet,"  said  Birch,  in  a  low  voice;  "the 
road  falls  from  the  top  of  this  hill  as  steep  as  it  rises; 
first  let  us  gain  the  top."  While  speaking,  they  reached 
the  desired  summit,  and  both  threw  themselves  from 
their  horses,  Henry  plunging  into  the  thick  underwood, 
which  covered  the  side  of  the  mountain  for  some  distance 
above  them.  Harvey  stopped  to  give  each  of  their  beasts 
a  few  severe  blows  of  his  whip,  that  drove  them  head 
long  down  the  path  on  the  other  side  of  the  eminence,  and 
then  followed  his  example. 

The  peddler  entered  the  thicket  with  a  little  caution, 
and  avoided,  as  much  as  possible,  rustling  or  breaking 
the  branches  in  his  way.  There  was  but  time  only  to 
shelter  his  person  from  view,  when  a  dragoon  led  up  the 
ascent,  and  on  reaching  the  height,  he  cried  aloud : 

"I  saw  one  of  their  horses  turning  the  hill  this  minute. 

"Drive  on;  spur  forward,  my  lad,"  shouted  Mason; 
"give  the  Englishman  quarter,  but  cut  down  the  peddler, 
and  make  an  end  of  him." 

Henry  felt  his  companion  grip  his  arm  hard,  as  he  lis 
tened  in  a  great  tremor  to  this  cry,  which  was  followed 


362  THE  SPY 

by  the  passage  of  a  dozen  horsemen,  with  a  vigor  and 
speed  that  showed  too  plainly  how  little  security  their 
overtired  steeds  could  have  afforded  them. 

"Now,"  said  the  peddler,  rising  from  the  cover  to 
reconnoitre,  and  standing  for  a  moment  in  suspense,  "all 
that  we  gain  is  clear  gain;  for,  as  we  go  up,  they  go 
down.  Let  us  be  stirring. " 

"But  will  they  not  follow  us,  and  surround  this  moun 
tain?"  said  Henry,  rising,  and  imitating  the  labored  but 
rapid  progress  of  his  companion;  "remember,  they  have 
foot  as  well  as  horse,  and  at  any  rate,  we  shall  starve  in 
the  hi  11s." 

"Fear  nothing,  Captain  Wharton,"  returned  the  ped 
dler,  with  confidence;  "this  is  not  the  mountain  that  I 
would  be  on,  but  necessity  has  made  me  a  dexterous  pilot 
among  these  hills.  I  will  lead  you  where  no  man  will 
dare  to  follow.  See,  the  sun  is  already  setting  behind 
the  tops  of  the  western  mountains,  and  it  will  be  two 
hours  to  the  rising  of  the  moon.  Who,  think  you,  will 
follow  us  far,  on  a  November  night,  among  these  rocks 
and  precipices?" 

"Listen!"  exclaimed  Henry;  "the  dragoons  are  shout 
ing  to  each  other;  they  miss  us  already  " 

"Come  to  the  point  of  this  rock,  and  you  may  see 
them,"  said  Harvey,  composedly  seating  himself  down 
to  rest.  "Nay,  they  can  see  us — observe,  they  are  point 
ing  up  with  their  fingers.  There!  one  has  fired  his  pistol, 
but  the  distance  is  too  great  even  for  a  musket. " 

"They  will  pursue  us,"  cried  the  impatient  Henry, 
"let  us  be  moving." 

"They  will  not  think  of  such  a  thing, "  returned  the 
peddler,  picking  the  checkerberries  that  grew  on  the  thin 
soil  where  he  sat,  and  very  deliberately  chewing  them, 
leaves  and  all,  to  refresh  his  mouth.  "What  progress 
could  they  make  here,  in  their  heavy  boots  and  spurs,  and 
long  swords?  No,  no — they  may  go  back  and  turn  out 
the  foot,  but  the  horse  pass  through  these  defiles,  when 
they  can  keep  the  saddle,  with  fear  and  trembling. 
Come,  follow  me,  Captain  Wharton;  we  have  a  trouble 
some  march  before  us,  but  I  will  bring  you  where  none 
will  think  of  venturing  this  night." 


THE   SPY  363 

So  saying,  they  both  arose,  and  were  soon  hid  from 
view  amongst  the  rocks  and  caverns  of  the  mountain. 

The  conjecture  of  the  peddler  was  true.  Mason  and 
his  men  dashed  down  the  hill,  in  pursuit,  as  they  sup 
posed,  of  their  victims,  but  on  reaching  the  bottom  lands, 
they  found  only  the  deserted  horses  of  the  fugitives. 
Some  little  time  was  spent  in  examining  the  woods  near 
them,  and  in  endeavoring  to  take  the  trail  on  such 
ground  as  might  enable  the  horses  to  pursue,  when  one 
of  the  party  descried  the  peddler  and  Henry  seated  on 
the  rock  already  mentioned. 

"He's  off,"  muttered  Mason,  eying  Harvey,  with  fury; 
"he's  off,  and  we  are  disgraced.  By  heavens,  Washing 
ton  will  not  trust  us  with  the  keeping  of  a  suspected 
Tory,  if  we  let  the  rascal  trifle  in  this  manner  with  the 
corps;  and  there  sits  the  Englishman,  too,  looking  down 
upon  us  with  a  smile  of  benevolence!  I  fancy  that  I  can 
see  it.  Well,  well,  my  lad,  you  are  comfortably  seated, 
I  will  confess,  and  that  is  something  better  than  dancing 
upon  nothing;  but  you  are  not  to  the  west  of  the  Harlem 
River  yet,  and  I'll  try  your  wind  before  you  tell  Sir 
Henry  what  you  have  seen,  or  I'm  no  soldier." 

"Shall  I  fire  and  frighten  the  peddler?"  asked  one  of 
the  men,  drawing  his  pistol  from  the  holster. 

"Aye,  startle  the  birds  from  their  perch — let  us  see 
how  they  can  use  the  wing."  The  man  fired  the  pistol, 
and  Mason  continued — "'Fore  George,  I  believe  the 
scoundrels  laugh  at  us.  But  homeward,  or  we  shall  have 
them  rolling  stones  upon  our  heads,  and  the  Royal 
Gazettes  teeming  with  an  account  of  a  rebel  regiment 
routed  by  two  loyalists.  They  have  told  bigger  lies  than 
that,  before  now. ' ' 

The  dragoons  moved  sullenly  after  their  officer,  who 
rode  towards  their  quarters,  musing  on  the  course  it  be 
hooved  him  to  pursue  in  the  present  dilemma.  It  was 
twilight  when  Mason's  party  reached  the  dwelling, 
before  the  door  of  which  were  collected  a  great  number 
of  the  officers  and  men,  busily  employed  in  giving  and 
listening  to  the  most  exaggerated  accounts  of  the  escape 
of  the  spy.  The  mortified  dragoons  gave  their  ungrate 
ful  tidings  with  the  sullen  air  of  disappointed  men;  and 


364  THE   SPY 

most  of  the  officers  gathered  around  Mason,  to  consult  of 
the  steps  that  ought  to  be  taken.  Miss  Peyton  and 
Frances  were  breathless  and  unobserved  listeners  to  all 
that  passed  between  them,  from  the  window  of  the  cham 
ber  immediately  above  their  heads. 

"Something  must  be  done,  and  that  speedily,"  ob 
served  the  commanding  officer  of  the  regiment,  which  lay 
encamped  before  the  house:  "this  English  officer  is 
doubtless  an  instrument  in  the  great  blow  aimed  at  us  by 
the  enemy  lately;  besides,  our  honor  is  involved  in  his 
escape." 

"Let  us  beat  the  woods!"  cried  several  at  once;  "by 
morning  we  shall  have  them  both  again." 

"Softly,  softly,  gentlemen,"  returned  the  colonel;  "no 
man  can  travel  these  hills  after  dark,  unless  used  to  the" 
passes.  Nothing  but  horse  can  do  service  in  this  busi 
ness,  and  I  presume  Lieutenant  Mason  hesitates  to  move 
without  the  orders  of  his  major." 

"I  certainly  dare  not,"  replied  the  subaltern,  gravely 
shaking  his  head,  "unless  you  will  take  the  responsibil 
ity  of  an  order;  but  Major  Dunwoodie  will  be  back  again 
in  two  hours,  and  we  can  carry  the  tidings  through  the 
hills  before  daylight;  so  that  by  spreading  patrols  across, 
from  one  river  to  the  other,  and  offering  a  reward  to  the 
country  people,  their  escape  will  yet  be  impossible,  un 
less  they  can  join  the  party  that  is  said  to  be  out  on  the 
Hudson." 

"A  very  plausible  plan,"  cried  the  colonel,  "and  one 
that  must  succeed ;  but  let  a  messenger  be  despatched  to 
Dunwoodie,  or  he  may  continue  at  the  ferry  until  it 
proves  too  late;  though  doubtless  the  runaways  will  lie  in 
the  mountains  to-night." 

To  this  suggestion  Mason  acquiesced,  and  a  courier 
was  sent  to  the  major  with  the  important  intelligence  of 
the  escape  of  Henry,  and  an  intimation  of  the  necessity 
of  his  presence  to  conduct  the  pursuit.  After  this  ar 
rangement,  the  officers  separated. 

When  Miss  Peyton  and  her  niece  first  learnt  the  escape 
of  Captain  Wharton,  it  was  with  difficulty  they  could 
credit  thei1"  senses.  They  both  relied  so  implicitly  on 
the  success  of  Dunwoodie's  exertions,  that  they  thought 


THE  SPY  365 

the  act,  on  the  part  of  their  relative,  extremely  impru 
dent;  but  it  was  now  too  late  to  mend  it.  While  listen 
ing  to  the  conversation  of  the  officers,  both  were  struck 
with  the  increased  danger  of  Henry's  situation,  if  recap 
tured,  and  they  trembled  to  think  of  the  great  exertions 
that  would  be  made  to  accomplish  this  object.  Miss  Pey 
ton  consoled  herself,  and  endeavored  to  cheer  her  niece, 
with  the  probability  that  the  fugitives  would  pursue 
their  course  with  unremitting  diligence,  so  that  they 
might  reach  the  Neutral  Ground  before  the  horse  would 
carry  down  the  tidings  of  their  flight.  The  absence  of 
Dunwoodie  seemed  to  her  all-important,  and  the  artless 
lady  was  anxiously  devising  some  project  that  might 
detain  her  kinsman,  and  thus  give  her  nephew  the  longest 
possible  time.  But  very  different  were  the  reflections  of 
Frances.  She  could  no  longer  doubt  that  the  figure  she 
had  seen  on  the  hill  was  Birch,  and  she  felt  certain  that, 
instead  of  flying  to  the  friendly  forces  below,  her  brother 
would  be  taken  to  the  mysterious  hut  to  pass  the  night. 

Frances  and  her  aunt  held  a  long  and  animated  dis 
cussion  by  themselves,  when  the  good  spinster  reluctantly 
yielded  to  the  representation  of  her  niece,  and  folding 
her  in  her  arms,  she  kissed  her  cold  cheek,  and,  fervently 
blessing  her,  allowed  her  to  depart  on  an  errand  of  fra 
ternal  love. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

"And  here,  forlorn  and  lost,  I  tread. 

With  fainting  steps,  and  slow; 
Where  wilds,  immeasurably  spread, 
Seem  length'ning  as  I  go." 

— GOLDSMITH. 

THE  night  had  set  in  dark  and  chilling,  as  Frances 
Wharton,  with  a  beating  heart  but  light  step,  moved 
through  the  little  garden  that  lay  behind  the  farm-house 
which  had  been  her  brother's  prison,  and  took  her  way 
to  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  where  she  had  seen  the  fig 
ure  of  him  she  supposed  to  be  the  peddler.  It  was  still 
early,  but  the  darkness  and  the  dreary  nature  of  a  Novem 
ber  evening  would,  at  any  other  moment,  or  with  less 
inducement  to  exertion,  have  driven  her  back  in  terror 
to  the  circle  she  had  left.  Without  pausing  to  reflect, 
however,  she  flew  over  the  ground  with  a  rapidity  that 
seemed  to  bid  defiance  to  all  impediments,  nor  stopped 
even  to  breathe,  until  she  had  gone  half  the  distance  to 
the  rock  that  she  had  marked  as  the  spot  where  Birch 
made  his  appearance  on  that  very  morning. 

The  good  treatment  of  their  women  is  the  surest  evi 
dence  that  a  people  can  give  of  their  civilization;  and 
there  is  no  nation  which  has  more  to  boast  of,  in  this 
respect,  than  the  Americans.  Frances  felt  but  little 
apprehension  from  the  orderly  and  quiet  troops  who 
were  taking  their  evening's  repast  on  the  side  of  the 
highway,  opposite  to  the  field  through  which  she  was 
flying.  They  were  her  countrymen,  and  she  knew  that 
her  sex  would  be  respected  by  the  Eastern  militia,  who 
composed  this  body;  but  in  the  volatile  and  reckless  char 
acter  of  the  Southern  horse  she  had  less  confidence.  Out 
rages  of  any  description  were  seldom  committed  by  the 
really  American  soldiery;  but  she  recoiled,  with  exquisite 
delicacy,  from  even  the  appearance  of  humiliation. 

366 


THE   SPY  367 

When,  therefore,  she  heard  the  footsteps  of  a  horse 
moving  slowly  up  the  road,  she  shrank,  timidly,  into  a 
little  thicket  of  wood  which  grew  around  the  spring  that 
bubbled  from  the  side  of  a  hillock  near  her.  The 
vidette,  for  such  it  proved  to  be,  passed  her  without  no 
ticing  her  form,  which  was  so  enveloped  as  to  be  as  little 
conspicuous  as  possible,  humming  a  low  air  to  himself, 
and  probably  thinking  of  some  other  fair  that  he  had 
left  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac. 

Frances  listened  anxiously  to  the  retreating  footsteps 
of  his  horse,  and,  as  they  died  upon  her  ear,  she  ventured 
from  her  place  of  secrecy,  and  advanced  a  short  distance 
into  the  field,  where,  startled  at  the  gloom,  and  appalled 
with  the  dreariness  of  the  prospect,  she  paused  to  reflect 
on  what  she  had  undertaken.  Throwing  back  the  hood 
of  her  cardinal,  she  sought  the  support  of  a  tree,  and 
gazed  towards  the  summit  of  the  mountain  that  was  to 
be  the  goal  of  her  enterprise.  It  rose  from  the  plain 
like  a  huge  pyramid,  giving  nothing  to  the  eye  but  its 
outlines.  The  pinnacle  could  be  faintly  discerned  in 
front  of  a  lighter  background  of  clouds,  between  which  a 
few  glimmering  stars  occasionally  twinkled  in  moment 
ary  brightness,  and  then  gradually  became  obscured  by 
the  passing  vapor  that  was  moving  before  the  wind,  at  a 
vast  distance  below  the  clouds  themselves.  Should  she 
return,  Henry  and  the  peddler  would  most  probably  pass 
the  night  in  fancied  security  upon  that  very  hill  towards 
which  she  was  straining  her  eyes,  in  the  vain  hope  of 
observing  some  light  that  might  encourage  her  to  pro 
ceed.  The  deliberate,  and  what  to  her  seemed  cold 
blooded,  project  of  the  officer  for  the  recapture  of  the 
fugitives,  still  rang  in  her  ears,  and  stimulated  her  to  go 
on;  but  the  solitude  into  which  she  must  venture,  the 
time,  the  actual  danger  of  the  ascent,  and  the  uncertainty 
of  her  finding  the  hut,  or  what  was  still  more  disheart 
ening,  the  chance  that  it  might  be  occupied  by  unknown 
tenants,  and  those  of  the  worst  description — urged  her 
to  retreat. 

The  increasing  darkness  was  each  moment  rendering 
objects  less  and  less  distinct,  and  the  clouds  were  gather 
ing  more  gloomily  in  the  rear  of  the  hill,  until  its  form 


368  THE  SPY 

could  no  longer  be  discerned ;  Frances  threw  back  her  rich 
curls  with  both  hands  on  her  temples,  in  order  to  possess 
her  senses  in  their  utmost  keenness;  but  the  towering  hill 
was  entirely  lost  to  the  eye.  At  length  she  discovered  a 
faint  and  twinkling  blaze  in  the  direction  in  which  she 
thought  the  building  stood,  that,  by  its  reviving  and 
receding  lustre,  might  be  taken  for  the  glimmering  of  a 
fire.  But  the  delusion  vanished,  as  the  horizon  again 
cleared,  and  the  star  of  evening  shone  forth  from  a  cloud, 
after  struggling  hard,  as  if  for  existence.  She  now  saw 
the  mountain  to  the  left  of  the  place  where  the  planet 
was  shining,  and  suddenly  a  streak  of  mellow  light  burst 
upon  the  fantastic  oaks  that  were  thinly  scattered  over 
its  summit,  and  gradually  moved  down  its  side,  until  the 
whole  pile  became  distinct  under  the  rays  of  the  rising 
moon.  Although  it  would  have  been  physically  impossi 
ble  for  our  heroine  to  advance  without  the  aid  of  the 
friendly  light,  which  now  gleamed  on  the  long  line  of 
level  land  before  her,  yet  she  was  not  encouraged  to  pro 
ceed.  If  she  could  see  the  goal  of  her  wishes,  she  could 
also  perceive  the  difficulties  that  must  attend  her  reach 
ing  it. 

While  deliberating  in  distressing  incertitude,  now 
shrinking  with  the  timidity  of  her  sex  and  years  from 
the  enterprise,  and  now  resolving  to  rescue  her  brother 
at  every  hazard,  Frances  turned  her  looks  towards  the 
east,  in  earnest  gaze  at  the  clouds  which  constantly 
threatened  to  involve  her  again  in  comparative  darkness. 
Had  an  adder  stung  her,  she  could  not  have  sprung  with 
greater  celerity  than  she  recoiled  from  the  object  against 
which  she  was  leaning,  and  which  she  for  the  first  time 
noticed.  The  two  upright  posts,  with  a  cross-beam  on 
their  tops,  and  a  rude  platform  beneath,  told  but  too 
plainly  the  nature  of  the  structure;  even  the  cord  was 
suspended  from  an  iron  staple,  and  was  swinging  to  and 
fro  in  the  night  air.  Frances  hesitated  no  longer,  but 
rather  flew  than  ran  across  the  meadow,  and  was  soon  at 
the  base  of  the  rock,  where  she  hoped  to  find  something 
like  a  path  to  the  summit  of  the  mountain.  Here  she 
was  compelled  to  pause  for  breath,  and  she  improved  the 
leisure  by  surveying  the  ground  about  her.  The  ascent 


THE  SPY  369 

was  quite  abrupt,  but  she  soon  found  a  sheep-path  that 
wound  among  the  shelving  rocks  and  through  the  trees, 
so  as  to  render  her  labor  much  less  tiresome  than  it 
otherwise  would  have  been.  Throwing  a  fearful  glance 
behind,  the  determined  girl  commenced  her  journey  up 
ward.  Young,  active,  and  impelled  by  her  generous 
motive,  she  moved  up  the  hill  with  elastic  steps,  and 
very  soon  emerged  from  the  cover  of  the  woods,  into  an 
open  space  of  more  level  ground,  that  had  evidently  been 
cleared  of  its  timber,  for  the  purpose  of  cultivation. 
But  either  the  war  or  the  sterility  of  the  soil  had  com 
pelled  the  adventurer  to  abandon  the  advantages  that  he 
had  obtained  over  the  wilderness,  and  already  the  bushes 
and  briers  were  springing  up  afresh,  as  if  the  plough  had 
never  traced  its  furrows  through  the  mould  which  nour 
ished  them. 

Frances  felt  her  spirits  invigorated  by  these  faint  ves 
tiges  of  the  labor  of  man,  and  she  walked  up  the  gentle 
acclivity  with  renewed  hopes  of  success.  The  path  now 
diverged  in  so  many  different  directions,  that  she  soon 
saw  it  would  be  useless  to  follow  their  windings,  and 
abandoning  it,  at  the  first  turn,  she  labored  forward 
towards  what  she  thought  was  the  nearest  point  of  the 
summit.  The  cleared  ground  was  soon  passed,  and  woods 
and  rocks,  clinging  to  the  precipitous  sides  of  the  moun 
tain,  again  opposed  themselves  to  her  progress.  Occasion 
ally,  the  path  was  to  be  seen  running  along  the  verge  of 
the  clearing,  and  then  striking  off  into  the  scattering 
patches  of  grass  and  herbage,  but  in  no  instance  could 
she  trace  it  upward.  Tufts  of  wool,  hanging  to  the 
briers,  sufficiently  denoted  the  origin  of  these  tracks,  and 
Frances  rightly  conjectured  that  whoever  descended  the 
mountain,  would  avail  himself  of  their  existence,  to 
lighten  the  labor.  Seating  herself  on  a  stone,  the  wearied 
girl  again  paused  to  rest  and  to  reflect:  the  clouds  were 
rising  before  the  moon,  and  the  whole  scene  at  her  feet 
lay  pictured  in  softest  colors. 

The  white  tents  of  the  militia  were  stretched  in  regu 
lar  lines,  immediately  beneath  her.  The  light  was 
shining  in  the  window  of  her  aunt,  who,  Frances  easily 
fancied,  was  watching  the  mountain,  racked  with  all  the 

24 


370  THE  SPY 

anxiety  she  might  be  supposed  to  feel  for  her  niece. 
Lanterns  were  playing  about  in  the  stable-yard,  where 
she  knew  the  horses  of  the  dragoons  were  kept,  and  be 
lieving  them  to  be  preparing  for  their  night  march,  she 
again  sprang  upon  her  feet,  and  renewed  her  toil. 

Our  heroine  had  to  ascend  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  farther,  although  she  had  already  conquered  two 
thirds  of  the  height  of  the  mountain.  But  she  was  now 
without  a  path  or  any  guide  to  direct  her  in  her  course. 
Fortunately,  the  hill  was  conical,  like  most  of  the  moun 
tains  in  that  range,  and,  by  advancing  upwards,  she  was 
certain  of  at  length  reaching  the  desired  hut,  which 
hung,  as  it  were,  on  the  very  pinnacle.  Nearly  an  hour 
did  she  struggle  with  the  numerous  difficulties  that  she 
was  obliged  to  overcome,  when,  having  been  repeatedly 
exhausted  with  her  efforts,  and,  in  several  instances,  in 
great  danger  from  falls,  she  succeeded  in  gaining  the 
small  piece  of  table-land  on  the  summit. 

Faint  with  her  exertions,  which  had  been  unusually 
severe  for  so  slight  a  frame,  she  sank  on  a  rock,  to 
recover  her  strength  and  fortitude  for  the  approaching 
interview.  A  few  moments  sufficed  for  this  purpose, 
when  she  proceeded  in  quest  of  the  hut.  All  of  the 
neighboring  hills  were  distinctly  visible  by  the  aid  of  the 
moon,  and  Frances  was  able,  where  she  stood,  to  trace 
the  route  of  the  highway,  from  the  plains  into  the  moun 
tains.  By  following  this  line  with  her  eyes,  she  soon  dis 
covered  the  point  whence  she  had  seen  the  mysterious 
dwelling,  and  directly  opposite  to  that  point  she  well 
knew  the  hut  must  stand.  The  chilling  air  sighed 
through  the  leafless  branches  of  the  gnarled  and  crooked 
oaks,  as  with  a  step  so  light  as  hardly  to  rustle  the  dry 
leaves  on  which  she  trod,  Frances  moved  forward  to  that 
part  of  the  hill  where  she  expected  to  find  this  secluded 
habitation;  but  nothing  could  she  discern  that  in  the 
least  resembled  a  dwelling  of  any  sort.  In  vain  she 
examined  every  recess  of  the  rocks,  or  inquisitively  ex 
plored  every  part  of  the  summit  that  she  thought  could 
hold  the  tenement  of  the  peddler.  No  hut,  nor  any 
vestige  of  a  human  being  could  she  trace.  The  idea  of 
her  solitude  struck  on  the  terrified  mind  of  the  affrighted 


THE  SPY  371 

girl,  and  approaching  to  the  edge  of  a  shelving  rock,  she 
bent  forward  to  gaze  on  the  signs  of  life  in  the  vale, 
when  a  ray  of  keen  light  dazzled  her  eyes,  and  a  warm 
ray  diffused  itself  over  her  whole  frame.  Recovering 
from  her  surprise,  Frances  looked  on  the  ledge  beneath 
her,  and  at  once  perceived  that  she  stood  directly  over 
the  object  of  her  search.  A  hole  through  its  roof  afforded 
a  passage  to  the  smoke,  which,  as  it  blew  aside,  showed 
her  a  clear  and  cheerful  fire  crackling  and  snapping  on  a 
rude  hearth  of  stone.  The  approach  to  the  front  of  the 
hut  was  by  a  winding  path  around  the  point  of  the  rock 
on  which  she  stood,  and  by  this,  she  advanced  to  its  door. 

Three  sides  of  this  singular  edifice,  if  such  it  could  be 
called,  were  composed  of  logs  laid  alternately  on  each 
other,  to  a  little  more  than  the  height  of  a  man;  and  the 
fourth  was  formed  by  the  rock  against  which  it  leaned. 
The  roof  was  made  of  the  bark  of  trees,  laid  in  long 
strips  from  the  rock  to  its  eaves;  the  fissures  between  the 
logs  had  been  stuffed  with  clay,  which  in  many  places  had 
fallen  out,  and  dried  leaves  were  made  use  of  as  a  sub 
stitute,  to  keep  out  the  wind.  A  single  window  of  four 
panes  of  glass  was  in  front,  but  a  board  carefully  closed 
it,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  emit  no  light  from  the  fire 
within.  After  pausing  some  time  to  view  this  singularly 
constructed  hiding-place,  for  such  Frances  well  knew  it 
to  be,  she  applied  her  eye  to  a  crevice  to  examine  the 
inside.  There  was  no  lamp  or  candle,  but  the  blazing 
fire  of  dry  wood  made  the  interior  of  the  hut  light 
enough  to  read  by.  In  one  corner  lay  a  bed  of  straw, 
with  a  pair  of  blankets  thrown  carelessly  over  it,  as  if 
left  where  they  had  last  been  used.  Against  the  walls 
and  rock  were  suspended,  from  pegs  forced  into  the  crev 
ices,  various  garments,  and  such  as  were  apparently  fitted 
for  all  ages  and  conditions,  and  for  either  sex.  British 
and  American  uniforms  hung  peaceably  by  the  side  of 
each  other ;  and  on  the  peg  that  supported  a  gown  of 
striped  calico,  such  as  was  the  usual  country  wear,  was 
also  depending  a  well-powdered  wig:  in  short,  the  attire 
was  numerous  and  as  various  as  if  a  whole  parish  were  to 
be  equipped  from  this  one  wardrobe. 

In  the  angle  against  the  rock*  and  opposite  to  the  fire 


372  THE   SPY 

which  was  burning  in  the  other  corner,  was  an  open  cup 
board,  that  held  a  plate  or  two,  a  mug,  and  the  remains 
of  some  broken  meat.  Before  the  fire  was  a  table,  with 
one  of  its  legs  fractured,  and  made  of  rough  boards; 
these,  with  a  single  stool,  composed  the  furniture,  if  we 
except  a  few  articles  of  cooking.  A  book  that,  by  its 
size  and  shape,  appeared  to  be  a  Bible,  was  lying  on  the 
table,  unopened.  But  it  was  the  occupant  of  the  hut  in 
whom  Frances  was  chiefly  interested.  This  was  a  man, 
sitting  on  the  stool,  with  his  head  leaning  on  his  hand,  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  conceal  his  features,  and  deeply 
occupied  in  examining  some  open  papers.  On  the  table 
lay  a  pair  of  curiously  and  richly  mounted  horseman's 
pistols,  and  the  handle  of  a  sheathed  rapier,  of  exquisite 
workmanship,  protruded  from  between  the  legs  of  the 
gentleman,  one  of  whose  hands  carelessly  rested  on  its 
guard.  The  tall  stature  of  this  unexpected  tenant  of  the 
hut,  and  his  form,  much  more  athletic  than  that  of  either 
Harvey  or  her  brother,  told  Frances,  without  the  aid  of 
his  dress,  that  it  was  neither  of  those  she  sought.  A 
close  surtout  was  buttoned  high  in  the  throat  of  the 
stranger,  and,  parting  at  his  knees,  showed  breeches  of 
buff,  with  military  boots  and  spurs.  His  hair  was 
dressed  so  as  to  expose  the  whole  face;  and,  after  the 
fashion  of  that  day,  it  was  profusely  powdered.  A 
round  hat  was  laid  on  the  stones  that  formed  a  paved 
floor  to  the  hut,  as  if  to  make  room  for  a  large  map, 
which,  among  the  other  papers,  occupied  the  table. 

This  was  an  unexpected  event  to  our  adventurer.  She 
had  been  so  confident  that  the  figure  twice  seen  was  the 
peddler,  that  on  learning  his  agency  in  her  brother's 
escape,  she  did  not  in  the  least  doubt  of  finding  them 
both  in  the  place,  which,  she  now  discovered,  was  occu 
pied  by  another  and  a  stranger.  She  stood,  earnestly 
looking  through  the  crevice,  hesitating  whether  to 
retire,  or  to  wait  with  the  expectation  of  yet  meeting 
Henry,  as  the  stranger  moved  his  hand  from  before  his 
eyes,  and  raised  his  face,  apparently  in  deep  musing, 
then  Frances  instantly  recognized  the  benevolent  and 
strongly  marked,  but  composed  features  of  Harper. 

All  that  Dunwoodie  had  said  of  his  power  and  disposi- 


THE   SPY  373 

tion,  all  that  he  had  himself  promised  her  brother,  and  all 
the  confidence  that  had  been  created  by  his  dignified  and 
paternal  manner,  rushed  across  the  mind  of  Frances,  who 
threw  open  the  door  of  the  hut,  and  falling  at  his  feet, 
clasped  his  knees  with  her  arms,  as  she  cried: 

"Save  him — save  him — save  my  brother;  remember 
your  promise,  and  save  him!" 

Harper  had  risen  as  the  door  opened,  and  there  was  a 
slight  movement  of  one  hand  towards  his  pistols;  but  it 
was  cool  and  instantly  checked.  He  raised  the  hood  of 
the  cardinal,  which  had  fallen  over  her  features,  and 
exclaimed,  with  some  uneasiness: 

"Miss  Wharton!     But  you  cannot  be  alone?" 

"There  is  none  here  but  my  God  and  you;  and  by  His 
sacred  name,  I  conjure  you  to  remember  your  promise, 
and  save  my  brother!" 

Harper  gently  raised  her  from  her  knees,  and  placed 
her  on  the  stool,  begging  her  at  the  same  time  to  be 
composed,  and  to  acquaint  him  with  the  nature  of  her 
errand.  This  Frances  instantly  did,  ingenuously  admit 
ting  him  to  a  knowledge  of  all  her  views  in  visiting  that 
lone  spot  at  such  an  hour,  and  by  herself. 

It  was  at  all  times  difficult  to  probe  the  thoughts  of  one 
who  held  his  passions  in  such  disciplined  subjection  as 
Harper,  but  still  there  was  a  lighting  of  his  thoughtful 
eye,  and  a  slight  unbending  of  his  muscles,  as  the  hurried 
and  anxious  girl  proceeded  in  her  narrative.  His  inter 
est,  as  she  dwelt  upon  the  manner  of  Henry's  escape,  and 
the  flight  to  the  woods,  was  deep  and  manifest,  and  he 
listened  to  the  remainder  of  her  tale  with  a  marked 
expression  of  benevolent  indulgence.  Her  apprehensions, 
that  her  brother  might  still  be  too  late  through  the 
mountains,  seemed  to  have  much  weight  with  him,  for, 
as  she  concluded,  he  walked  a  turn  or  two  across  the  hut, 
in  silent  musing. 

Frances  hesitated,  and  unconsciously  played  with  the 
handle  of  one  of  the  pistols,  and  the  paleness  that  her 
fears  had  spread  over  her  fine  features  began  to  give 
place  to  a  rich  tint,  as,  after  a  short  pause,  she  added : 

"We  can  depend  much  on  the  friendship  of  Major 
Dunwoodie,  but  his  sense  of  honor  is  so  pure,  that — that 


374  THE   SPY 

— notwithstanding  his — his — feelings — his  desire  to  serve 
us — he  will  conceive  it  to  be  his  duty  to  apprehend  my 
brother  again.  Besides,  he  thinks  there  will  be  no  danger 
in  so  doing,  as  he  relies  greatly  on  your  interference." 

"On  mine,"  said  Harper,  raising  his  eyes  in  surprise. 

"Yes,  on  yours.  When  we  told  him  of  your  kind 
language,  he  at  once  assured  us  all  that  you  had  the 
power,  and,  if  you  had  promised,  would  have  the  inclina 
tion,  to  procure  Henry's  pardon." 

"Said  he  more?"  asked  Harper,  who  appeared  slightly 
uneasy. 

"Nothing  but  reiterated  assurances  of  Henry's  safety; 
even  now  he  is  in  quest  of  you." 

"Miss  Wharton,  that  I  bear  no  mean  part  in  the  un 
happy  struggle  between  England  and  America,  it  might 
now  be  useless  to  deny.  You  owe  your  brother's  escape, 
this  night,  to  my  knowledge  of  his  innocence,  and  the 
remembrance  of  my  word.  Major  Dunwoodie  is  mistaken, 
when  he  says  that  I  might  openly  have  procured  his  par 
don.  I  now,  indeed,  can  control  his  fate,  and  I  pledge  to 
you  a  word  which  has  some  influence  with  Washington, 
that  means  shall  be  taken  to  prevent  his  recapture.  But 
from  you,  also,  I  exact  a  promise,  that  this  interview, 
and  all  that  has  passed  between  us,  remain  confined  to 
your  own  bosom,  until  you  have  my  permission  to  speak 
upon  the  subject." 

Frances  gave  the  desired  assurance,  and  he  continued : 

"The  peddler  and  your  brother  will  soon  be  here,  but  I 
must  not  be  seen  by  the  royal  officer,  or  the  life  of  Birch 
might  be  the  forfeiture." 

"Never!"  cried  Frances,  ardently;  "Henry  could  never 
be  so  base  as  to  betray  the  man  who  saved  him." 

"It  is  no  childish  game  that  we  are  now  playing,  Miss 
Wharton.  Men's  lives  and  fortunes  hang  upon  slender 
threads,  and  nothing  must  be  left  to  accident  that  can  be 
guarded  against.  Did  Sir  Henry  Clinton  know  that  the 
peddler  had  communion  with  me,  and  under  such  circum 
stances,  the  life  of  the  miserable  man  would  be  taken 
instantly;  therefore,  as  you  value  human  blood,  or 
remember  the  rescue  of  your  brother,  be  prudent,  and  be 
silent.  Communicate  what  you  know  to  them  both,  and 


THE   SPY  375 

urge  them  to  instant  departure.  If  they  can  reach  the 
last  pickets  of  our  army  before  morning,  it  shall  be  my 
care  that  there  are  none  to  intercept  them.  There  is 
better  work  for  Major  Dunwoodie  than  to  be  exposing  tho 
life  of  his  friend." 

While  Harper  was  speaking,  he  carefully  rolled  up  the 
map  he  had  been  studying,  and  placed  it,  together  with 
sundry  papers  that  were  also  open,  into  his  pocket.  He 
was  still  occupied  in  this  manner,  when  the  voice  of  the 
peddler,  talking  in  unusually  loud  tones,  was  heard 
directly  over  their  heads. 

"Stand  farther  this  way,  Captain  Wharton,  and  you  can 
see  the  tents  in  the  moonshine.  But  let  them  mount  and 
ride;  I  have  a  nest,  here,  that  will  hold  us  both,  and  we 
will  go  in  at  our  leisure." 

"And  where  is  this  nest?  I  confess  that  I  have  eaten 
but  little  the  last  two  days,  and  I  crave  some  of  the  cheer 
you  mention." 

"Hem!"  said  the  peddler,  exerting  his  voice  still 
more,  "hem — this  fog  has  given  me  a  cold;  but  move  slow 
— and  be  careful  not  to  slip,  or  you  may  land  on  the 
bayonet  of  the  sentinel  on  the  flats;  'tis  a  steep  hill  to 
rise,  but  one  can  go  down  it  with  ease. ' ' 

Harper  pressed  his  finger  on  his  lip,  to  remind  Frances 
of  her  promise,  and,  taking  his  pistols  and  hat,  so  that 
no  vestige  of  his  visit  remained,  he  retired  deliberately 
to  a  far  corner  of  the  hut,  where,  lifting  several  articles 
of  dress,  he  entered  a  recess  in  the  rock,  and,  letting 
them  fall  again  was  hid  from  view.  Frances  noticed,  by 
the  strong  firelight,  as  he  entered,  that  it  was  a  natural 
cavity,  and  contained  nothing  but  a  few  more  articles  of 
domestic  use. 

The  surprise  of  Henry  and  the  peddler,  on  entering  and 
finding  Frances  in  possession  of  the  hut,  may  be  easily 
imagined.  Without  waiting  for  explanations  or  ques 
tions,  the  warm-hearted  girl  flew  into  the  arms  of  her 
brother,  and  gave  vent  to  her  emotions  in  tears.  But 
the  peddler  seemed  struck  with  very  different  feelings. 
His  first  look  was  at  the  fire,  which  had  been  recently 
supplied  with  fuel;  he  then  drew  open  a  small  drawer  of 
the  table,  and  looked  a  little  alarmed  at  finding  it  empty. 


376  THE   SPY 

"Are  you  alone,  Miss  Fanny?"  he  asked,  in  a  quick 
voice;  "you  did  not  come  here  alone?" 

"As  you  see  me,  Mr.  Birch,"  said  Frances  raising  her 
self  from  her  brother's  arms,  and  turning  an  expressive 
glance  towards  the  secret  cavern,  that  the  quick  eye  of 
the  peddler  instantly  understood. 

"But  why  and  wherefore  are  you  here?"  exclaimed  her 
astonished  brother;  "and  how  knew  you  of  this  place 
at  all?" 

Frances  entered  at  once  into  a  brief  detail  of  what  had 
occurred  at  the  house  since  their  departure,  and  the  mo 
tives  which  induced  her  to  seek  them. 

"But,"  said  Birch,  "why  follow  us  here,  when  we 
were  left  on  the  opposite  hill?" 

Frances  related  the  glimpse  that  she  had  caught  of  the 
hut  and  peddler,  in  her  passage  through  the  Highlands, 
as  well  as  her  view  of  him  on  that  day,  and  her  imme 
diate  conjecture  that  the  fugitives  would  seek  the  shelter 
of  this  habitation  for  the  night.  Birch  examined  her 
features  as,  with  open  ingenuousness,  she  related  the  sim 
ple  incidents  that  had  made  her  mistress  of  his  secret; 
and,  as  she  ended,  he  sprang  upon  his  feet,  and,  striking 
the  window  with  the  stick  in  his  hand,  demolished  it  at  a 
blow. 

"'Tis  but  little  luxury  or  comfort  that  I  know,"  he 
said,  "but  even  that  little  cannot  be  enjoyed  in  safety! 
Miss  Wharton,"  he  added,  advancing  before  Fanny,  and 
speaking  with  the  bitter  melancholy  that  was  common  to 
him,  "I  am  hunted  through  these  hills  like  a  beast  of  the 
forest;  but  whenever,  tired  with  my  toils,  I  can  reach 
this  spot,  poor  and  dreary  as  it  is,  I  can  spend  my  soli 
tary  nights  in  safety.  Will  you  aid  to  make  the  life  of  a 
wretch  still  more  miserable?" 

"Never!"  cried  Frances,  with  fervor;  "your  secret  is 
safe  with  me." 

"Major  Dunwoodie" — said  the  peddler,  slowly,  turn 
ing  an  eye  upon  her  that  read  her  soul. 

Frances  lowered  her  head  upon  her  bosom,  for  a  mo 
ment,  in  shame;  then,  elevating  her  fine  and  glowing 
face,  she  added,  with  enthusiasm: 

"Never,  never,  Harvey,  as  God  may  hear  my  prayers!" 


THE   SPY  377 

The  peddler  seemed  satisfied;  for  he  drew  back,  and, 
watching  his  opportunity,  unseen  by  Henry,  slipped  be 
hind  the  screen,  and  entered  the  cavern. 

Frances  and  her  brother,  who  thought  his  companion 
had  passed  through  the  door,  continued  conversing  on  the 
latter's  situation  for  several  minutes,  when  the  former 
urged  the  necessity  of  expedition  on  his  part,  in  order  to 
precede  Dunwoodie,  from  whose  sense  of  duty  they  knew 
they  had  no  escape.  The  captain  took  out  his  pocket- 
book,  and  wrote  a  few  lines  with  his  pencil;  then  folding 
the  paper,  he  handed  it  to  his  sister. 

"Frances,"  he  said,  "you  have  this  night  proved  your 
self  to  be  an  incomparable  woman.  As  you  love  me,  give 
that  unopened  to  Dunwoodie,  and  remember  that  two 
hours  may  save  my  life." 

"I  will — I  will;  but  why  delay?  Why  not  fly,  and  im 
prove  these  precious  moments?" 

"Your  sister  says  well,  Captain  Wharton,"  exclaimed 
Harvey,  who  had  re-entered  unseen;  "we  must  go  at 
once.  Here  is  food  to  eat,  as  we  travel." 

"But  who  is  to  see  this  fair  creature  in  safety?"  cried 
the  captain.  "I  can  never  desert  my  sister  in  such  a 
place  as  this." 

"Leave  me!  leave  me!"  said  Frances;  "I  can  descend 
as  I  came  up.  Do  not  doubt  me;  you  know  not  my  cour 
age  nor  my  strength." 

"I  have  not  known  you,  dear  girl  it  is  true;  but  now, 
as  I  learn  your  value,  can  I  quit  you  here?  Never, 
never ! ' ' 

"Captain  Wharton,"  said  Birch,  throwing  open  the 
door,  "you  can  trifle  with  your  own  lives,  if  you  have 
many  to  spare;  I  have  but  one,  and  must  nurse  it.  Do  I 
go  alone,  or  not?" 

"Go,  go,  dear  Henry,"  said  Frances,  embracing  him; 
"go;  remember  our  father;  remember  Sarah."  She 
waited  not  for  his  answer,  but  gently  forced  him  through 
the  door,  and  closed  it  with  her  own  hands. 

For  a  short  time  there  was  a  warm  debate  between 
Henry  and  the  peddler;  but  the  latter  finally  prevailed, 
and  the  breathless  girl  heard  the  successive  plunges,  as 
they  went  down  the  sides  of  the  mountain  at  a  rapid  rate. 


378  THE   SPY 

Immediately  after  the  noise  of  their  departure  had 
ceased,  Harper  reappeared.  He  took  the  arm  of  Frances 
in  silence,  and  led  her  from  the  hut.  The  way  seemed 
familiar  to  him;  for,  ascending  to  the  ledge  above  them, 
he  led  his  companion  across  the  table-land  tenderly, 
pointing  out  the  little  difficulties  in  their  route,  and 
cautioning  her  against  injury. 

Frances  felt,  as  she  walked  by  the  side  of  this  extraor 
dinary  man,  that  she  was  supported  by  one  of  no  common 
stamp.  The  firmness  of  his  step,  and  the  composure  of 
his  manner,  seemed  to  indicate  a  mind  settled  and  re 
solved.  By  taking  a  route  over  the  back  of  the  hill,  they 
descended  with  great  expedition,  and  but  little  danger. 
The  distance  it  had  taken  Frances  an  hour  to  conquer, 
was  passed  by  Harper  and  his  companion  in  ten  minutes, 
and  they  entered  the  open  space  already  mentioned.  He 
struck  into  one  of  the  sheep-paths,  and,  crossing  the 
clearing  with  rapid  steps,  they  came  suddenly  upon  a 
horse,  caparisoned  for  a  rider  of  no  mean  rank.  The 
noble  beast  snorted  and  pawed  the  earth,  as  his  master 
approached  and  replaced  the  pistols  in  the  holsters. 

Harper  then  turned,  and,  taking  the  hand  of  Frances, 
spoke  as  follows: 

"You  have  this  night  saved  your  brother,  Miss  Whar- 
ton.  It  will  not  be  proper  for  me  to  explain  why  there 
are  limits  to  my  ability  to  serve  him;  but  if  you  can 
detain  the  horse  for  two  hours,  he  is»  assuredly  safe. 
After  what  you  have  already  done,  I  can  believe  you 
equal  to  any  duty.  God  has  denied  to  me  children,  young 
lady;  but  if  it  had  been  His  blessed  will  that  my  mar 
riage  should  not  have  been  childless,  such  a  treasure  as 
yourself  would  I  have  asked  from  His  mercy.  But  you 
are  my  child:  all  who  dwell  in  this  broad  land  are  my 
children,  and  my  care;  and  take  the  blessing  of  one  who 
hopes  yet  to  meet  you  in  happier  days." 

As  he  spoke,  with  a  solemnity  that  touched  Frances  to 
the  heart,  he  laid  his  hand  impressively  upon  her  head. 
The  guileless  girl  turned  her  face  towards  him,  and  the 
hood  again  falling  back,  exposed  her  lovely  features  to 
the  moonbeams.  A  tear  was  glistening  on  either  cheek, 
and  her  mild  blue  eyes  were  gazing  upon  him  in  rever- 


THE   SPY  379 

ence.  Harper  bent  and  pressed  a  paternal  kiss  upon  her 
forehead,  and  continued,  "Any  of  these  sheep-paths  will 
take  you  to  the  plain;  but  here  we  must  part — I  have 
much  to  do,  and  far  to  ride;  forget  me  in  all  but  your 
prayers. ' ' 

He  then  mounted  his  horse,  and  lifting  his  hat,  rode 
towards  the  back  of  the  mountain,  descending  at  the 
same  time,  and  was  soon  hid  by  the  trees.  Frances 
sprang  forward  with  a  lightened  heart,  and  taking  the 
first  path  that  led  downwards,  in  a  few  minutes  she 
reached  the  plain  in  safety.  While  busied  in  stealing 
through  the  meadows  towards  the  house,  the  noise  of 
horse  approaching  startled  her,  and  she  felt  how  much 
more  was  to  be  apprehended  from  man,  in  some  situa 
tions,  than  from  solitude.  Hiding  her  form  in  the  angle 
of  a  fence  near  the  road,  she  remained  quiet  for  a  mo 
ment,  and  watched  their  passage.  A  small  party  of  dra 
goons,  whose  dress  was  different  from  the  Virginians, 
passed  at  a  brisk  trot.  They  were  followed  by  a  gentle 
man,  enveloped  in  a  large  cloak,  whom  she  at  once  knew 
to  be  Harper.  Behind  him  rode  a  black  in  livery,  and 
two  youths  in  uniform  brought  up  the  rear.  Instead  of 
taking  the  road  that  led  by  the  encampment,  they  turned 
short  to  the  left  and  entered  the  hills. 

Wondering  who  this  unknown  but  powerful  friend  of 
her  brother  could  be,  Frances  glided  across  the  fields,  and 
using  due  precautions  in  approaching  the  dwelling,  re 
gained  her  residence  undiscovered  and  in  safety. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

"  Hence,  bashful  cunning  ! 
And  prompt  me,  plain  and  holy  innocence ; 
I  am  your  wife,  if  you  will  marry  me." 

—TEMPEST. 

ON  joining  Miss  Peyton,  Frances  learnt  that  Dun- 
woodie  was  not  yet  returned;  although,  with  a  view  to 
relieve  Henry  from  the  importunities  of  the  supposed 
fanatic,  he  had  desired  a  very  respectable  divine  of  their 
own  church  to  ride  up  from  the  river  and  offer  his 
services.  This  gentleman  was  already  arrived,  and  had 
been  passing  the  half-hour  he  had  been  there,  in  a  sensi 
ble  and  well-bred  conversation  with  the  spinster,  that  in 
no  degree  touched  upon  their  domestic  affairs. 

To  the  eager  inquiries  of  Miss  Peyton,  relative  to  her 
success  in  her  romantic  excursion,  Frances  could  say  no 
more  than  that  she  was  bound  to  be  silent,  and  to  recom 
mend  the  same  precaution  to  the  good  maiden  also. 
There  was  a  smile  playing  around  the  beautiful  mouth  of 
Frances,  while  she  uttered  this  injunction,  which  satis 
fied  her  aunt  that  all  was  as  it  should  be.  She  was  urg 
ing  her  niece  to  take  some  refreshment  after  her  fatiguing 
expedition,  when  the  noise  of  a  horseman  riding  to  the 
door,  announced  the  return  of  the  major.  He  had  been 
found  by  the  courier  who  was  despatched  by  Mason,  im 
patiently  waiting  the  return  of  Harper  to  the  ferry,  and 
immediately  flew  to  the  place  where  his  friend  had  been 
confined,  tormented  by  a  thousand  conflicting  fears.  The 
heart  of  Frances  bounded  as  she  listened  to  his  approach 
ing  footsteps.  It  wanted  yet  an  hour  to  the  termination 
of  the  shortest  period  that  the  peddler  had  fixed  as  the 
time  necessary  to  effect  his  escape.  Even  Harper,  power 
ful  and  well-disposed  as  he  acknowledged  himself  to  be, 
had  laid  great  stress  upon  the  importance  of  detaining 
the  Virginians  during  that  hour.  She,  however,  had  not 

380 


THE   SPY  381 

time  to  rally  her  thoughts,  before  Dunwoodie  entered  one 
door,  as  Miss  Peyton,  with  the  readiness  of  female  in 
stinct,  retired  through  another. 

The  countenance  of  Peyton  was  flushed,  and  an  air  of 
vexation  and  disappointment  pervaded  his  manner. 

'"Twas  imprudent,  Frances;  nay,  it  was  unkind,"  he 
cried,  throwing  himself  in  a  chair,  "to  fly  at  the  very 
moment  that  I  had  assured  him  of  safety!  I  can  almost 
persuade  myself  that  you  delight  in  creating  points  of 
difference  in  our  feelings  and  duties." 

"In  our  duties  there  may  very  possibly  be  a  differ 
ence,"  returned  his  mistress,  approaching,  and  leaning 
her  slender  form  against  the  wall;  "but  not  in  our  feel 
ings,  Peyton.  You  must  certainly  rejoice  in  the  escape 
of  Henry!" 

"There  was  no  danger  impending.  He  had  the  prom 
ise  of  Harper;  and  it  is  a  word  never  to  be  doubted.  Oh! 
Frances!  Frances!  had  you  known  the  man,  you  would 
never  have  distrusted  his  assurance;  nor  would  you  have 
again  reduced  me  to  this  distressing  alternative." 

"What  alternative?"  asked  Frances,  pitying  his  emo 
tions  deeply,  but  eagerly  seizing  upon  every  circumstance 
to  prolong  the  interview. 

"What  alternative!  am  I  not  compelled  to  spend  this 
night  in  the  saddle  to  recapture  your  brother,  when  I  had 
thought  to  lay  my  head  on  its  pillow,  with  the  happy  con 
sciousness  of  having  contributed  to  his  release?  You 
make  me  seem  your  enemy;  I,  who  would  cheerfully  shed 
the  last  drop  of  blood  in  your  service.  I  repeat,  Frances, 
it  was  rash;  it  was  unkind;  it  was  a  sad,  sad  mistake." 

She  bent  towards  him  and  timidly  took  one  of  his 
hands,  while  with  the  other  she  gently  removed  the  curls 
from  his  burning  brow. 

"Why  go  at  all,  dear  Peyton?"  she  asked.  "You  have 
done  much  for  your  country,  and  she  cannot  exact  such  a 
sacrifice  as  this  at  your  hand." 

"Frances!  Miss  Wharton!"  exclaimed  the  youth, 
springing  on  his  feet,  and  pacing  the  floor  with  a  cheek 
that  burnt  through  its  brown  covering,  and  an  eye  that 
sparkled  with  wounded  integrity;  "it  is  not  my  country, 
but  my  honor,  that  requires  the  sacrifice.  Has  he  not 


382  THE   SPY 

fled  from  a  guard  of  my  own  corps?  But  for  this,  I 
might  have  been  spared  the  blow!  But  if  the  eyes  of  the 
Virginians  are  blinded  to  deception  and  artifice,  their 
horses  are  swift  of  foot,  and  their  sabres  keen.  We 
shall  see,  before  to-morrow's  sun,  who  will  presume  to 
hint  that  the  beauty  of  the  sister  furnished  a  mask  to 
conceal  the  brother!  Yes,  yes;  I  should  like,  even  now," 
he  continued,  laughing  bitterly,  "to  hear  the  villain  who 
would  dare  to  surmise  that  such  treachery  existed!" 

"Peyton,  dear  Peyton,"  said  Frances,  recoiling  from 
his  angry  eye,  "you  curdle  my  blood — would  you  kill  my 
brother?" 

"Would  I  not  die  for  him!"  exclaimed  Dunwoodie,  as 
he  turned  to  her  more  mildly;  "you  know  I  would;  but  I 
am  distracted  with  the  cruel  surmise  to  which  this  step 
of  Henry's  subjects  me.  What  will  Washington  think  of 
me,  should  he  learn  that  I  ever  became  your  husband?" 

"If  that  alone  impels  you  to  act  so  harshly  towards  my 
brother,"  returned  Frances,  with  a  slight  tremor  in  her 
voice,  "let  it  never  happen  for  him  to  learn." 

"And  this  is  consolation,  Frances!" 

"Nay,  dear  Dunwoodie,  I  meant  nothing  harsh  or  un 
kind;  but  are  you  not  making  us  both  of  more  conse 
quence  with  Washington  than  the  truth  will  justify?" 

"I  trust  that  my  name  is  not  entirely  unknown  to  the 
commander-in-chief,"  said  the  major,  a  little  proudly; 
"nor  are  you  as  obscure  as  your  modesty  would  make 
you.  I  believe  you,  Frances,  when  you  say  that  you  pity 
me,  and  it  must  be  my  task  to  continue  worthy  of  such 
feelings.  But  I  waste  the  precious  moments;  we  must 
go  through  the  hills  to-night,  that  we  may  be  refreshed 
in  time  for  the  duty  of  to-morrow.  Mason  is  already 
waiting  my  orders  to  mount.  Frances,  I  leave  you  with 
a  heavy  heart;  pity  me,  but  feel  no  concern  for  your 
brother;  he  must  again  become  a  prisoner,  but  every  hair 
of  his  head  is  sacred." 

"Stop!  Dunwoodie,  I  conjure  you,"  cried  Frances, 
gasping  for  breath,  as  she  noticed  that  the  hand  of  the 
clock  still  wanted  many  minutes  to  the  desired  hour; 
"before  you  go  on  your  errand  of  fastidious  duty,  read 
this  note  that  Henry  has  left  for  you,  and  which,  doubt- 


THE   SPY  383 

less,  he  thought  he  was  writing  to  the  friend  of  his 
youth." 

"Frances,  I  excuse  your  feelings;  but  the  time  will 
come  when  you  will  do  me  justice." 

"That  time  is  now,"  she  answered,  extending  her 
hand,  unable  any  longer  to  feign  a  displeasure  that  she 
did  not  feel. 

"Where  got  you  this  note?"  exclaimed  the  youth, 
glancing  his  eyes  over  its  contents,  "Poor  Henry,  you  are 
indeed  my  friend !  If  any  one  wishes  me  happiness,  it  is 
you!" 

"He  does,  he  does,"  cried  Frances,  eagerly;  "he  wishes 
you  every  happiness;  believe  what  he  tells  you;  every 
word  is  true." 

"I  do  believe  him,  lovely  girl,  and  he  refers  me  to  you 
for  its  confirmation.  Would  that  I  could  trust  equally 
to  your  affections!" 

"You  may,  Peyton,"  said  Frances,  looking  up  with 
innocent  confidence  towards  her  lover. 

"Then  read  for  yourself,  and  verify  your  words,"  in 
terrupted  Dunwoodie,  holding  the  note  towards  her. 

Frances  received  it  in  astonishment,  and  read  the  fol 
lowing: 

'  'Life  is  too  precious  to  be  trusted  to  uncertainties.  I 
leave  you,  Peyton,  unknown  to  all  but  Csesar,  and  I  rec 
ommend  him  to  your  mercy.  But  there  is  a  care  that 
weighs  me  to  the  earth.  Look  at  my  aged  and  infirm, 
parent.  He  will  be  reproached  for  the  supposed  crime 
of  his  son.  Look  at  those  helpless  sisters  that  I  leave  be 
hind  me  without  a  protector.  Prove  to  me  that  you  love 
us  all.  Let  the  clergyman  whom  you  will  bring  with  you, 
unite  you  this  night  to  Frances,  and  become  at  once, 
brother,  son,  and  husband. ' ' 

The  paper  fell  from  the  hands  of  Frances,  and  she  en 
deavored  to  raise  her  eyes  to  the  face  of  Dunwoodie,  but 
they  sank  abashed  to  the  floor. 

"Am  I  worthy  of  this  confidence?  Will  you  send  me 
out  this  night,  to  meet  my  own  brother?  or  will  it  be  the 
officer  of  Congress  in  quest  of  the  officer  of  Britain?" 


384  THE   SPY 

"And  would  you  do  less  of  your  duty  because  I  am 
your  wife,  Major  Dunwoodie?  in  what  degree  would  it 
better  the  condition  of  Henry?" 

"Henry,  I  repeat,  is  safe.  The  word  of  Harper  is  his 
guarantee;  but  I  will  show  the  world  a  bridegroom," 
continued  the  youth,  perhaps  deceiving  himself  a  little, 
"who  is  equal  to  the  duty  of  arresting  the  brother  of  his 
bride." 

"And  will  the  world  comprehend  this  refinement?"  said 
Frances,  with  a  musing  air,  that  lighted  a  thousand 
hopes  in  the  bosom  of  her  lover.  In  fact,  the  temptation 
was  mighty.  Indeed,  there  seemed  no  other  way  to 
detain  Dunwoodie  until  the  fatal  hour  had  elapsed.  The 
words  of  Harper  himself,  who  had  so  lately  told  her  that 
openly  he  could  do  but  little  for  Henry,  and  that  every 
thing  depended  upon  gaining  time,  were  deeply  engraved 
upon  her  memory.  Perhaps  there  was  also  a  fleeting 
thought  of  the  possibility  of  an  eternal  separation  from 
her  lover,  should  he  proceed  and  bring  back  her  brother 
to  punishment.  It  is  difficult  at  all  times  to  analyze 
human  emotions,  and  they  pass  through  the  sensitive 
heart  of  a  woman  with  the  rapidity  and  nearly  with  the 
vividness  of  lightning. 

"Why  do  you  hesitate,  dear  Frances?"  cried  Dun 
woodie,  who  was  studying  her  varying  countenance;  "a 
few  minutes  might  give  me  a  husband's  claim  to  protect 
you." 

Frances  grew  giddy.  She  turned  an  anxious  eye  to  the 
clock,  and  the  hand  seemed  to  linger  over  its  face,  as  if 
with  intent  to  torture  her. 

"Speak,  Frances,"  murmured  Dunwoodie;  "may  I 
summon  my  good  kinswoman?  determine,  for  time 
presses. ' ' 

She  endeavored  to  reply,  but  could  only  whisper  some 
thing  that  was  inaudible,  but  which  her  lover,  with  the 
privilege  of  immemorial  custom,  construed  into  assent. 
He  turned  and  flew  to  the  door,  when  his  mistress  recov 
ered  her  voice: 

"Stop,  Peyton!  I  cannot  enter  into  such  a  solemn 
engagement  with  a  fraud  upon  my  conscience.  I  have 
seen  Henry  since  his  escape,  and  time  is  all-important  to 


THE   SPY  385 

him.  Here  is  my  hand;  if,  with  this  knowledge  of  the 
consequences  of  delay,  you  will  not  reject  it,  it  is  freely 
yours." 

"Reject  it!"  cried  the  delighted  youth;  "I  take  it  as 
the  richest  gift  of  Heaven.  There  is  time  enough  for  us 
all.  Two  hours  will  take  me  through  the  hills;  and  by 
noon,  to-morrow,  I  will  return  with  Washington's  pardon 
for  your  brother,  and  Henry  will  help  to  enliven  our 
nuptials." 

"Then  meet  me  here,  in  ten  minutes,"  said  Frances, 
greatly  relieved  by  unburthening  her  mind,  and  filled 
with  the  hope  of  securing  Henry's  safety,  "and  I  will 
return  and  take  those  vows  which  will  bind  me  to  you 
forever." 

Dun  wood  ie  paused  only  to  press  her  once  to  his  bosom, 
and  flew  to  communicate  his  wishes  to  the  priest. 

Miss  Peyton  received  the  avowal  of  her  niece  with 
infinite  astonishment,  and  a  little  displeasure.  It  was 
violating  all  the  order  and  decorum  of  a  wedding  to  get 
it  up  so  hastily,  and  with  so  little  ceremony.  But 
Frances,  with  modest  firmness,  declared  that  her  reso 
lution  was  taken;  she  had  long  possessed  the  consent 
of  her  friends,  and  their  nuptials,  for  months,  had  only 
waited  her  pleasure.  She  had  now  promised  Dunwoodie; 
and  it  was  her  wish  to  comply;  more  she  dare  not  say 
without  committing  herself,  by  entering  into  explana 
tions  that  might  endanger  Birch,  or  Harper,  or  both. 
Unused  to  contention,  and  really  much  attached  to  her 
kinsman,  the  feeble  objections  of  Miss  Peyton  gave  way 
to  the  firmness  of  her  niece.  Mr.  Wharton  was  too  com 
pletely  a  convert  to  the  doctrine  of  passive  obedience  and 
non-resistance,  to  withstand  any  solicitation  from  an 
officer  of  Dunwoodie's  influence  in  the  rebel  armies;  and 
the  maid  returned  to  the  apartment,  accompanied  by  her 
father  and  aunt,  at  the  expiration  of  the  time  that  she 
had  fixed.  Dunwoodie  and  the  clergyman  were  already 
there.  Frances,  silently  and  without  the  affectation  of 
reserve,  placed  in  his  hand  the  wedding-ring  of  her  own 
mother,  and  after  some  little  time  spent  in  arranging  Mr. 
Wharton  and  herself,  Miss  Peyton  suffered  the  ceremony 
to  proceed. 

25 


386  THE  SPY 

The  clock  stood  directly  before  the  eyes  of  Frances, 
and  she  turned  many  an  anxious  glance  at  the  dial;  but 
the  solemn  language  of  the  priest  soon  caught  her  atten 
tion,  and  her  mind  became  intent  upon  the  vows  she  was 
uttering.  The  ceremony  was  quickly  over,  and  as  the 
clergyman  closed  the  words  of  benediction,  the  clock  told 
the  hour  of  nine.  This  was  the  time  that  Harper  had 
deemed  so  important,  and  Frances  felt  as  if  a  mighty 
load  was  at  once  removed  from  her  heart. 

Dunwoodie  folded  her  in  his  arms,  saluted  the  mild 
aunt  again  and  again,  and  shook  Mr.  Wharton  and  the 
divine  repeatedly  by  the  hands.  In  the  midst  of  the 
felicitation,  a  rap  was  heard  at  the  door.  It  was  opened, 
and  Mason  appeared. 

"We  are  in  the  saddle,"  said  the  lieutenant,  "and, 
with  your  permission,  I  will  lead  on;  as  you  are  so  well 
mounted,  you  can  overtake  us  at  your  leisure." 

"Yes,  yes,  my  good  fellow;  march,"  cried  Dunwoodie, 
gladly  seizing  an  excuse  to  linger;  "I  will  reach  you  at 
the  first  halt. " 

The  subaltern  retired  to  execute  these  orders;  he  was 
followed  by  Mr.  Wharton  and  the  divine. 

"Now,  Peyton,"  said  Frances,  "it  is  indeed  a  brother 
that  you  seek;  I  am  sure  I  need  not  caution  you  in  his 
behalf,  should  you  unfortunately  find  him." 

"Say  fortunately,"  cried  the  youth,  "for  I  am  deter 
mined  he  shall  yet  dance  at  my  wedding.  Would  that  I 
could  win  him  to  our  cause!  it  is  the  cause  of  his  country 
and  I  could  fight  with  more  pleasure,  Frances  with  your 
brother  by  my  side." 

"Oh!  mention  it  not!  you  awaken  terrible  reflections. " 

"I  will  not  mention  it,"  returned  her  husband;  "but 
I  must  now  leave  you.  But  the  sooner  I  go,  Frances,  the 
sooner  I  shall  return." 

The  noise  of  a  horseman  was  heard  approaching  the 
house,  and  Dunwoodie  was  yet  taking  leave  of  his  bride 
and  her  aunt,  when  an  officer  was  shown  into  the  room  by 
his  own  man. 

The  gentleman  wore  the  dress  of  an  aide-de-camp,  and 
the  major  at  once  knew  him  to  be  one  of  the  military 
family  of  Washington. 


THE  SPY  387 

"Major  Dunwoodie, "  he  said,  after  bowing  to  the 
ladies,  "the  commander-in-chief  has  directed  me  to  give 
you  these  orders." 

He  executed  his  mission,  and,  pleading  duty,  took  his 
leave  immediately. 

"Here,  indeed!"  cried  the  major,  "is  an  unexpected 
turn  in  the  whole  affair;  but  I  understand  it:  Harper  has 
got  my  letter,  and  already  we  feel  his  influence. ' ' 

"Have  you  news  affecting  Henry?"  cried  Frances, 
springing  to  his  side. 

"Listen,  and  you  shall  judge." 

"SiR, — Upon  the  receipt  of  this,  you  will  concentrate 
your  squadron,  so  as  to  be  in  front  of  a  covering  party 
which  the  enemy  has  sent  up  in  front  of  his  foragers,  by 
ten  o'clock  to-morrow,  on  the  heights  of  Croton,  where 
you  will  find  a  body  of  foot  to  support  you.  The  escape 
of  the  English  spy  has  been  reported  to  me,  but  his 
arrest  is  unimportant,  compared  with  the  duty  I  now 
assign  you.  You  will,  therefore,  recall  your  men,  if  any 
are  in  pursuit,  and  endeavor  to  defeat  the  enemy  forth 
with. 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"GEO.  WASHINGTON." 

"Thank  God!"  cried  Dunwoodie,  "my  hands  are 
washed  of  Henry's  recapture;  I  can  now  move  to  my  duty 
with  honor." 

"And  with  prudence  too,  dear  Peyton,"  said  Frances, 
with  a  face  as  pale  as  death;  "remember,  Dunwoodie, 
you  leave  behind  you  new  claims  on  your  life." 

The  youth  dwelt  on  her  lovely  but  pallid  features  with 
rapture;  and,  as  he  folded  her  to  his  heart,  exclaimed: 

"For  your  sake,  I  will,  lovely  innocent!"  Frances 
sobbed  a  moment  on  his  bosom,  and  he  tore  himself  from 
her  presence. 

Miss  Peyton  retired  with  her  niece,  to  whom  she  con 
ceived  it  necessary,  before  they  separated  for  the  night, 
to  give  an  admonitory  lecture  on  the  subject  of  matri 
monial  duty.  Her  instruction  was  modestly  received,  if 
not  properly  digested.  We  regret  that  history  has  not 


388  THE   SPY 

handed  down  to  us  this  precious  dissertation ;  but  the  result 
of  all  our  investigation  has  been  to  learn  that  it  partook 
largely  of  those  peculiarities  which  are  said  to  tincture 
the  rules  prescribed  to  govern  bachelors'  children.  We 
shall  now  leave  the  ladies  of  the  Wharton  family,  and 
return  to  Captain  Wharton  and  Harvey  Birch. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

"Allow  him  not  a  parting  word; 
Short  be  the  shrift,  and  sure  the  cord  !" 

— ROKEBY. 

THE  peddler  and  his  companion  soon  reached  the  valley, 
and  after  pausing  to  listen,  and  hearing  no  sounds  which 
announced  that  pursuers  were  abroad,  they  entered  the 
highway.  Acquainted  with  every  step  that  led  through 
the  mountains,  and  possessed  of  sinews  inured  to  toil, 
Birch  led  the  way,  with  the  lengthened  strides  that  were 
peculiar  to  the  man  and  his  profession;  his  pack  alone 
was  wanting  to  finish  the  appearance  of  his  ordinary 
business  air.  At  times,  when  they  approached  one  of 
those  little  posts  held  by  the  American  troops,  with 
which  the  Highlands  abounded,  he  would  take  a  circuit 
to  avoid  the  sentinels,  and  plunge  fearlessly  into  a 
thicket,  or  ascend  a  rugged  hill,  that  to  the  eye  seemed 
impassable.  But  the  peddler  was  familiar  v/ith  every 
turn  in  their  difficult  route,  knew  where  the  ravines 
might  be  penetrated,  or  where  the  streams  were  fordable. 
In  one  or  two  instances,  Henry  thought  that  their  further 
progress  was  absolutely  at  an  end,  but  the  ingenuity,  or 
knowledge,  of  his  guide,  conquered  every  difficulty. 
After  walking  at  a  great  rate  for  three  hours,  they  sud 
denly  diverged  from  the  road,  which  inclined  to  the  east, 
and  held  their  course  directly  across  the  hills,  in  a  due 
south  direction.  This  movement  was  made,  the  peddler 
informed  his  companion,  in  order  to  avoid  the  parties 
who  constantly  patrolled  in  the  southern  entrance  of  the 
Highlands,  as  well  as  to  shorten  the  distance,  by  travel 
ling  in  a  straight  line.  After  reaching  the  summit  of  a 
hill,  Harvey  seated  himself  by  the  side  of  a  little  run, 
and  opening  a  wallet,  that  he  had  slung  where  his  pack 

3S9 


390  THE  SPY 

was  commonly  suspended,  he  invited  his  comrade  to  par 
take  of  the  coarse  fare  it  contained.  Henry  had  kept 
pace  with  the  peddler,  more  by  the  excitement  natural  to 
his  situation,  than  by  the  equality  of  his  physical  powers. 
The  idea  of  a  halt  was  unpleasant,  so  long  as  there 
existed  a  possibility  of  the  horse  getting  below  him,  in 
time  to  intercept  their  retreat  through  the  neutral 
ground.  He  therefore  stated  his  apprehensions  to  his 
companion,  and  urged  a  wish  to  proceed. 

"Follow  my  example,  Captain  Wharton,"  said  the  ped 
dler,  commencing  his  frugal  meal;  "if  the  horse  have 
started,  it  will  be  more  than  man  can  do  to  head  them; 
and  if  they  have  not,  work  is  cut  out  for  them  that  will 
drive  all  thoughts  of  you  and  me  from  their  brains." 

"You  said  yourself  that  two  hours'  detention  was  all- 
important  to  us,  and  if  we  loiter  here,  of  what  use  will 
be  the  advantage  that  we  may  have  already  obtained?" 

"The  time  is  past,  and  Major  Dunwoodie  thinks  little 
of  following  two  men,  when  hundreds  are  waiting  for 
him  on  the  banks  of  the  river." 

"Listen!"  interrupted  Henry;  "there  are  horse  at  this 
moment  passing  the  foot  of  the  hill.  I  hear  them  even 
laughing  and  talking  to  each  other.  Hist!  there  is  the 
voice  of  Dunwoodie  himself;  he  calls  to  his  comrade  in  a 
manner  that  shows  but  little  uneasiness.  One  would 
think  that  the  situation  of  his  friend  would  lower  his 
spirits;  surely  Frances  could  not  have  given  him  the 
letter." 

On  hearing  the  first  exclamation  of  Lthe  captain,  Birch 
arose  from  his  seat,  and  approached  cautiously  to  the 
brow  of  the  hill,  taking  care  to  keep  his  body  in  the 
shadow  of  the  rocks,  so  as  to  be  unseen  at  any  distance, 
and  earnestly  reconnoitred  the  group  of  passing  horse 
men.  He  continued  listening,  until  their  quick  foot 
steps  were  no  longer  audible,  and  then  quietly  returned 
to  his  seat,  and  with  incomparable  coolness  resumed  his 
meal. 

"You  have  a  long  walk,  and  a  tiresome  one,  before 
you,  Captain  Wharton;  you  had  better  do  as  I  do — you 
were  eager  for  food  at  the  hut  above  Fishkill,  but  travel 
ling  seems  to  have  worn  down  your  appetite." 


THE  SPY  391 

"I  thought  myself  safe,  then,  but  the  information  of 
my  sister  fills  me  with  uneasiness,  and  I  cannot  eat." 

"You  have  less  reason  to  be  troubled  now  than  at  any 
time  since  the  night  before  you  were  taken,  when  you 
refused  my  advice,  and  an  offer  to  see  you  in  safety, ' ' 
returned  the  peddler.  "Major  Dunwoodie  is  not  a  man 
to  laugh  and  be  gay,  when  his  friend  is  in  difficulty. 
Come,  then,  and  eat,  for  no  horse  will  be  in  our  way,  if 
we  can  hold  our  legs  for  four  hours  longer,  and  the  sun 
keeps  behind  the  hills  as  long  as  common." 

There  was  a  composure  in  the  peddler's  manner  that 
encouraged  his  companion;  and  having  once  determined 
to  submit  to  Harvey's  government,  he  suffered  himself  to 
be  persuaded  into  a  tolerable  supper,  if  quantity  be  con 
sidered  without  any  reference  to  the  quality.  After  com 
pleting  their  repast  the  peddler  resumed  his  journey. 

Henry  followed  in  blind  submission  to  his  will.  For 
two  hours  more  they  struggled  with  the  difficult  and 
dangerous  passes  of  the  Highlands,  without  road,  or  any 
other  guide  than  the  moon,  which  was  travelling  the 
heavens,  now  wading  through  flying  clouds,  and  now 
shining  brightly.  At  length  they  arrived  at  a  point 
where  the  mountains  sank  into  rough  and  unequal  hil 
locks,  and  passed  at  once  from  the  barren  sterility  of  the 
precipices,  to  the  imperfect  culture  of  the  neutral  ground. 

The  peddler  now  became  more  guarded  in  the  manner 
in  which  they  proceeded,  and  took  divers  precautions  to 
prevent  meeting  any  moving  parties  of  the  Americans. 
With  the  stationary  posts  he  was  too  familiar  to  render 
it  probable  he  might  fall  upon  any  of  them  unawares. 
He  wound  among  the  hills  and  vales,  now  keeping  the 
highways  and  now  avoiding  them,  with  a  precision  thatj 
seemed  instinctive.  There  was  nothing  elastic  in  hitl 
tread,  but  he  glided  over  the  ground  with  enormous 
strides,  and  a  body  bent  forward,  without  appearing  to 
use  exertion,  or  know  weariness. 

The  moon  had  set,  and  a  faint  streak  of  light  was  be 
ginning  to  show  itself  in  the  east.  Captain  Wharton 
ventured  to  express  a  sense  of  fatigue,  and  to  inquire  if 
they  were  not  yet  arrived  at  a  part  of  the  country  where 


392  THE   SPY 

it  might  be  safe  to  apply  at  some  of  the  farm-houses  for 
admission. 

"See  here,"  said  the  peddler,  pointing  to  a  hill,  at  a 
short  distance  in  their  rear;  "do  you  not  see  a  man  walk 
ing  on  the  point  of  that  rock?  Turn,  so  as  to  bring  the 
daylight  in  the  range — now,  see,  he  moves,  and  seems  to 
be  looking  earnestly  at  something  to  the  eastward.  That 
is  a  royal  sentinel;  two  hundred  of  the  rig'lar  troops  lay 
on  that  hill,  no  doubt  sleeping  on  their  arms." 

"Then,"  cried  Henry,  "let  us  join  them,  and  our  dan 
ger  is  ended." 

"Softly,  softly,  Captain  Wharton,"  said  the  peddler, 
dryly,  "you've  once  been  in  the  midst  of  three  hundred 
of  them,  but  there  was  a  man  who  could  take  you  out;  see 
you  not  yon  dark  body,  on  the  side  of  the  opposite  hill, 
just  above  the  corn-stalks?  There  are  the — the  rebels 
(since  that  is  the  word  for  us  loyal  subjects),  waiting 
only  for  day,  to  see  who  will  be  master  of  the  ground." 

"Nay,  then,"  exclaimed  the  fiery  youth,  "I  will  join 
the  troops  of  my  prince,  and  share  their  fortune,  be  it 
good  or  be  it  bad." 

'  'You  forget  that  you  fight  with  a  halter  round  your 
neck;  no,  no — I  have  promised  one  whom  I  must  not  dis 
appoint,  to  carry  you  safe  in;  and  unless  you  forget  what 
I  have  already  done,  and  what  I  have  risked  for  you, 
Captain  Wharton,  you  will  turn  and  follow  me  to 
Harlem." 

To  this  appeal  the  youth  felt  unwillingly  obliged  to 
submit;  and  they  continued  their  course  towards  the  city. 
It  was  not  long  before  they  gained  the  banks  of  the  Hud 
son.  After  searching  for  a  short  time  under  the  shore, 
the  peddler  discovered  a  skiff,  that  appeared  to  be  an  old 
acquaintance;  and  entering  it  with  his  companion,  he 
landed  him  on  the  south  side  of  the  Croton.  Here  Birch 
declared  they  were  in  safety;  for  the  royal  troops  held 
the  continentals  at  bay,  and  the  former  were  out  in  too 
great  strength,  for  the  light  parties  of  the  latter  to  trust 
themselves  below  that  river,  on  the  immediate  banks  of 
the  Hudson. 

Throughout  the  whole  of  this  arduous  flight,  the  ped 
dler  had  manifested  a  coolness  and  presence  of  mind  that 


THE   SPY  393 

nothing  appeared  to  disturb.  All  his  faculties  seemed  to 
be  of  more  than  usual  perfection,  and  the  infirmities  of 
nature  to  have  no  dominion  over  him.  Henry  had  fol 
lowed  him  like  a  child  in  leading-strings,  and  he  now 
reaped  his  reward,  as  he  felt  a  bound  of  pleasure  at  his 
heart,  on  hearing  that  he  was  relieved  from  apprehension, 
and  permitted  to  banish  every  doubt  of  security, 

A  steep  and  laborious  ascent  brought  them  from  the 
level  of  the  tide-waters  to  the  high  lands  that  form,  in 
this  part  of  the  river,  the  eastern  banks  of  the  Hudson. 
Retiring  a  little  from  the  highway,  under  the  shelter  of 
a  thicket  of  cedars,  the  peddler  threw  his  form  on  a  flat 
rock,  and  announced  to  his  companion  that  the  hour  for 
rest  and  refreshment  was  at  length  arrived.  The  day 
was  now  opened,  and  objects  could  be  seen  in  the  dis 
tance,  with  distinctness.  Beneath  them  lay  the  Hudson, 
stretching  to  the  south  in  a  straight  line,  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach.  To  the  north,  the  broken  fragments  of 
the  Highlands  threw  upwards  their  lofty  heads,  above 
masses  of  fog  that  hung  over  the  water,  and  by  which  the 
course  of  the  river  could  be  traced  into  the  bosom  of 
hills  whose  conical  summits  were  grouping  together,  one 
behind  another,  in  that  disorder  which  might  be  sup 
posed  to  have  succeeded  their  gigantic,  but  fruitless, 
efforts  to  stop  the  progress  of  the  flood.  Emerging  from 
these  confused  piles,  the  river,  as  if  rejoicing  at  its 
release  from  the  struggle,  expanded  into  a  wide  bay, 
which  was  ornamented  by  a  few  fertile  and  low  points 
that  jutted  humbly  into  its  broad  basin.  On  the  oppo 
site,  or  western  shore,  the  rocks  of  Jersey  were  gathered 
into  an  array  that  has  obtained  for  them  the  name  of  the 
"Palisades,"  elevating  themselves  for  many  hundred 
feet,  as  if  to  protect  the  rich  country  in  their  rear  from 
the  inroads  of  the  conqueror;  but,  disdaining  such  an 
enemy,  the  river  swept  proudly  by  their  feet,  and  held  its 
undeviating  way  to  the  ocean.  A  ray  of  the  rising  sun 
darted  upon  the  slight  cloud  that  hung  over  the  placid 
river,  and  at  once  the  whole  scene  was  in  motion,  chang 
ing  and  assuming  new  forms,  and  exhibiting  fresh  ob 
jects  in  each  successive  moment.  At  the  daily  rising  of 
this  great  curtain  of  nature,  at  the  present  time,  scores 


394  THE  SPY 

of  white  sails  and  sluggish  vessels  are  seen  thickening 
on  the  water,  with  that  air  of  life  which  denotes  the 
neighborhood  to  the  metropolis  of  a  great  and  flourishing 
empire;  but  to  Henry  and  the  peddler  it  displayed  only 
the  square  yards  and  lofty  masts  of  a  vessel  of  war,  rid 
ing  a  few  miles  below  them.  Before  the  fog  had  begun 
to  move,  the  tall  spars  were  seen  above  it,  and  from  one 
of  them  a  long  pennant  was  feebly  borne  abroad  in  the 
current  of  night  air,  that  still  quivered  along  the  river; 
but  as  the  smoke  arose,  the  black  hull,  the  crowded  and 
complicated  mass  of  rigging,  and  the  heavy  yards  and 
booms,  spreading  their  arms  afar,  were  successively 
brought  into  view. 

"There,  Captain  Wharton,"  said  the  peddler,  "there 
is  a  safe  resting-place  for  you;  America  has  no  arm  that 
can  reach  you,  if  you  gain  the  deck  of  that  ship.  She  is 
sent  up  to  cover  the  foragers,  and  support  the  troops ;  the 
rig'lar  officers  are  fond  of  the  sound  of  cannon  from 
their  shipping." 

Without  condescending  to  reply  to  the  sarcasm  con 
veyed  in  this  speech,  or  perhaps  not  noticing  it,  Henry 
joyfully  acquiesced  in  the  proposal,  and  it  was  accord 
ingly  arranged  between  them,  that,  as  soon  as  they  were 
refreshed,  he  should  endeavor  to  get  on  board  the  vessel. 

While  busily  occupied  in  the  very  indispensable  opera 
tion  of  breaking  their  fast,  our  adventurers  were  startled 
with  the  sound  of  distant  fire-arms.  At  first  a  few  scat 
tering  shots  were  fired,  which  were  succeeded  by  a  long 
and  animated  roll  of  musketry,  and  then  quick  and  heavy 
volleys  followed  each  other. 

"Your  prophecy  is  made  good,"  cried  the  English 
officer,  springing  upon  his  feet.  "Our  troops  and  the 
rebels  are  at  it!  I  would  give  six  months'  pay  to  see  the 
charge. ' ' 

"Humph!"  returned  his  companion,  without  ceasing 
his  meal;  "they  do  very  well  to  look  at  from  a  distance; 
I  can't  say  but  the  company  of  this  bacon,  cold  as  it  is, 
is  more  to  my  taste,  just  now,  than  a  hot  fire  from  the 
continentals." 

"The  discharges  are  heavy  for  so  small  a  force;  but  the 
fire  seems  irregular." 


THE   SPY  395 

"The  scattering  guns  are  from  the  Connecticut  mili 
tia,"  said  Harvey,  raising  his  head  to  listen;  "they  rattle 
it  off  finely,  and  are  no  fools  at  a  mark.  The  volleys  are 
the  rig'lars,  who,  you  know,  fire  by  word — as  long  as 
they  can. ' ' 

"I  like  not  the  warmth  of  what  you  call  a  scattering 
fire,"  exclaimed  the  captain,  moving  about  with  uneasi 
ness;  "it  is  more  like  the  roll  of  a  drum  than  the  shoot 
ing  of  skirmishers." 

"No,  no;  I  said  not skrimmagers, "  returned  the  other, 
raising  himself  upon  a  knee,  and  ceasing  to  eat;  "so  long 
as  they  stand,  they  are  too  good  for  the  best  troops  in 
the  royal  army.  Each  man  does  his  work  as  if  fighting 
by  the  job;  and  then,  they  think  while  they  fight,  and 
don't  send  bullets  among  the  clouds,  that  were  meant  to 
kill  men  upon  earth." 

"You  talk  and  look,  sir,  as  if  you  wished  them  suc 
cess,"  said  Henry,  sternly. 

"I  wish  success  to  the  good  cause  only,  Captain  Whar- 
ton.  I  thought  you  knew  me  too  well  to  be  uncertain 
which  party  I  favored." 

"Oh!  you  are  reputed  loyal,  Mr.  Birch.  But  the  vol 
leys  have  ceased ! ' ' 

Both  now  listened  intently  for  a  little  while,  during 
which  the  irregular  reports  became  less  brisk,  and  sud 
denly  heavy  and  repeated  volleys  followed. 

"They've  been  at  the  bayonet,"  said  the  peddler;  "the 
rig'lars  have  tried  the  bayonet,  and  the  rebels  are 
driven." 

"Aye,  Mr.  Birch,  the  bayonet  is  the  thing  for  the 
British  soldier,  after  all.  They  delight  in  the  bayonet!" 

"Well,  to  my  notion,"  said  the  peddler,  "there's  but 
little  delight  to  be  taken  in  any  such  fearful  weapon.  I 
dare  say  the  militia  are  of  my  mind,  for  half  of  them 
don't  carry  the  ugly  things.  Lord!  Lord!  captain,  I 
wish  you'd  go  with  me  once  into  the  rebel  camp,  and 
hear  what  lies  the  men  will  tell  about  Bunker  Hill  and 
Burg'yne;  you'd  think  they  loved  the  bayonet  as  much  as 
they  do  their  dinners." 

There  was  a  chuckle,  and  an  air  of  affected  innocency 


396  THE  SPY 

about  his  companion,  that  rather  annoyed  Henry,  and  he 
did  not  deign  to  reply. 

The  firing  now  became  desultory,  occasionally  inter 
mingled  with  heavy  volleys.  Both  of  the  fugitives  were 
standing,  listening  with  much  anxiety,  when  a  man, 
armed  with  a  musket,  was  seen  stealing  towards  them, 
under  the  shelter  of  the  cedar  bushes,  that  partially  cov 
ered  the  hill.  Henry  first  observed  this  suspicious-look 
ing  stranger,  and  instantly  pointed  him  out  to  his  com 
panion.  Birch  started,  and  certainly  made  an  indication 
of  sudden  flight;  but  recollecting  himself,  he  stood,  in 
sullen  silence,  until  the  stranger  was  within  a  few  yards 
of  them. 

"'Tis  friends,"  said  the  fellow,  clubbing  his  gun,  but 
apparently  afraid  to  venture  nearer. 

"You  had  better  retire,"  said  Birch;  "here  are  rig'lars 
at  hand.  We  are  not  near  Dunwoodie's  horse  now,  and 
you  will  not  find  me  an  easy  prize  to-day." 

"Damn  Major  Dunwoodie  and  his  horse!"  cried  the 
leader  of  the  Skinners  (for  it  was  he);  "God  bless  King 
George!  and  a  speedy  end  to  the  rebellion,  say  I.  If  you 
would  show  me  the  safe  way  in  to  the  refugees,  Mr. 
Birch,  I'll  pay  you  well,  and  ever  after  stand  your 
friend,  in  the  bargain." 

"The  road  is  as  open  to  you  as  to  me,"  said  Birch, 
turning  from  him  in  ill-concealed  disgust;  "if  you  want 
to  find  the  refugees,  you  know  well  where  they  lay. ' ' 

"Aye,  but  I'm  a  little  doubtful  of  going  in  upon  them 
by  myself;  now,  you  are  well  known  to  them  all,  and  it 
will  be  no  detriment  to  you  just  to  let  me  go  in  with 
you." 

Henry  here  interfered,  and  after  holding  a  short  dia 
logue  with  the  fellow,  he  entered  into  a  compact  with 
him,  that,  on  condition  of  surrendering  his  arms,  he 
might  join  the  party. 

The  man  complied  instantly,  and  Birch  received  his 
gun  with  eagerness;  nor  did  he  lay  it  upon  his  shoulder  to 
renew  their  march,  before  he  had  carefully  examined  the 
priming,  and  ascertained,  to  his  satisfaction,  that  it  con 
tained  a  good  dry  ball-cartridge. 

As  soon  as  this  engagement  was  completed,  they  com- 


THE  SPY  397 

menced  their  journey  anew.  By  following  the  bank  of 
the  river,  Birch  led  the  way  free  from  observation,  until 
they  reached  the  point  opposite  to  the  frigate,  when,  by 
making  a  signal,  a  boat  was  induced  to  approach.  Some 
time  was  spent,  and  much  precaution  used,  before  the 
seamen  would  trust  themselves  ashore;  but  Henry  having 
finally  succeeded  in  making  the  officer  who  commanded 
the  party  credit  his  assertions,  he  was  able  to  rejoin  his 
companions  in  arms  in  safety.  Before  taking  leave  of 
Birch,  the  captain  handed  him  his  purse,  which  was  tol 
erably  well  supplied  for  the  times;  ithe  peddler  received 
it,  and,  watching  an  opportunity,  he  conveyed  it,  unno 
ticed  by  the  Skinner,  to  a  part  of  his  dress  that  was 
ingeniously  contrived  to  hold  such  treasures. 

The  boat  pulled  from  the  shore,  and  Birch  turned  on 
his  heel,  drawing  his  breath,  like  one  relieved,  and  shot 
up  the  hills  with  the  strides  for  which  he  was  famous. 
The  Skinner  followed,  and  each  party  pursued  the  com 
mon  course,  casting  frequent  and  suspicious  glances  at 
the  other,  and  both  maintaining  a  most  impenetrable 
silence. 

Wagons  were  moving  along  the  river  road,  and  occa 
sional  parties  of  horse  were  seen  escorting  the  fruits  of 
the  inroad  towards  the  city.  As  the  peddler  had  views 
of  his  own,  he  rather  avoided  falling  in  with  any  of 
these  patrols,  than  sought  their  protection.  But,  after 
travelling  a  few  miles  on  the  immediate  banks  of  the 
river,  during  which,  notwithstanding  the  repeated  efforts 
of  the  Skinner  to  establish  something  like  sociability,  he 
maintained  a  most  determined  silence,  keeping  a  firm 
hold  of  the  gun,  and  always  maintaining  a  jealous  watch 
fulness  of  his  associate,  the  peddler  suddenly  struck  into 
the  highway,  with  an  intention  of  crossing  the  hills 
towards  Harlem.  At  the  moment  he  gained  the  path,  a 
body  of  horse  came  over  a  little  eminence,  and  was  upon 
him  before  he  perceived  them.  It  was  too  late  to 
retreat,  and  after  taking  a  view  of  the  materials  that 
composed  this  party,  Birch  rejoiced  in  the  rencontre,  as  a 
probable  means  of  relieving  him  from  his  unwelcome 
companion.  There  were  some  eighteen  or  twenty  men, 
mounted  and  equipped  as  dragoons,  though  neither  their 


398  THE   SPY 

appearance  nor  manners  denoted  much  discipline.  At 
their  head  rode  a  heavy,  middle-aged  man,  whose  fea 
tures  expressed  as  much  of  animal  courage,  and  as  little 
of  reason,  as  could  be  desired  for  such  an  occupation. 
He  wore  the  dress  of  an  officer,  but  there  was  none  of 
that  neatness  in  his  attire  nor  grace  in  his  movements 
that  was  usually  found  about  the  gentlemen  who  bore  the 
royal  commission.  His  limbs  were  firm  and  not  pliable, 
and  he  sat  his  horse  with  strength  and  confidence,  but  his 
bridle-hand  would  have  been  ridiculed  by  the  meanest 
rider  amongst  the  Virginians.  As  he  expected,  this 
leader  instantly  hailed  the  peddler,  in  a  voice  by  no 
means  more  conciliating  than  his  appearance. 

"Hey!  my  gentlemen,  which  way  so  fast?"  he  cried. 
"Has  Washington  sent  you  down  as  spies?" 

"I  am  an  innocent  peddler,"  returned  Harvey,  meekly, 
"and  am  going  below,  to  lay  in  a  fresh  stock  of  goods." 

"And  how  do  you  expect  to  get  below,  my  innocent 
peddler?  Do  you  think  we  hold  the  forts  at  King's 
Bridge  to  cover  such  peddling  rascals  as  you,  in  your 
goings  in,  and  comings-out?" 

"I  believe  I  hold  a  pass  that  will  carry  me  through," 
said  the  peddler,  handing  him  a  paper,  with  an  air  of 
great  indifference. 

The  officer,  for  such  he  was,  read  it,  and  cast  a  look  of 
surprise  and  curiosity  at  Harvey,  when  he  had  done. 

Then  turning  to  one  or  two  of  his  men,  who  had 
officiously  stopped  the  way,  he  cried: 

"Why  do  you  detain  the  man?  give  way,  and  let  him 
pass  in  peace:  but  whom  have  we  here?  your  name  is  not 
mentioned  in  the  pass!" 

"No,  sir,"  said  the  Skinner,  lifting  his  hat  with  hu 
mility;  "I  have  been  a  poor  deluded  man,  who  has  been 
serving  in  the  rebel  army;  but,  thank  God,  I've  lived  to 
see  the  error  of  my  ways,  and  am  now  come  to  make 
reparation,  by  enlisting  under  the  Lord's  anointed." 

"Umph!  a  deserter — a  Skinner,  I'll  swear,  wanting  to 
turn  Cow-Boy!  In  the  last  brush  I  had  with  the  scoun 
drels  I  could  hardly  tell  my  own  men  from  the  enemy. 
We  are  not  over  well  supplied  with  coats,  and  as  for 
countenances,  the  rascals  change  sides  so  often,  that  you 


THE   SPY  399 

may  as  well  count  their  faces  for  nothing;  but  trudge  on, 
we  will  contrive  to  make  use  of  you,  sooner  or  later." 

Ungracious  as  was  this  reception,  if  you  could  judge 
of  the  Skinner's  feelings  from  his  manner,  it  neverthe 
less  delighted  him.  He  moved  with  alacrity  towards  the 
city,  and  really  was  so  happy  to  escape  the  brutal  looks 
and  frightful  manner  of  his  interrogator,  as  to  lose  sight 
of  all  other  considerations.  But  the  man  who  performed 
the  functions  of  orderly  in  the  irregular  troop  rode  up  to 
the  side  of  his  commander,  and  commenced  a  close  and 
apparently  confidential  discourse  with  his  principal. 
They  spoke  in  whispers,  and  cast  frequent  and  searching 
glances  at  the  Skinner,  until  the  fellow  began  to  think 
himself  an  object  of  more  than  common  attention.  His 
satisfaction  at  this  distinction  was  somewhat  heightened, 
at  observing  a  smile  on  the  face  of  the  captain,  which, 
although  it  might  be  thought  grim,  certainly  denoted 
satisfaction.  This  pantomime  occupied  the  time  they 
were  passing  a  hollow,  and  concluded  as  they  rose  another 
hill.  Here  the  captain  and  his  sergeant  both  dismounted, 
and  ordered  the  party  to  halt.  The  two  partisans  each 
took  a  pistol  from  his  holster,  a  movement  that  excited 
no  suspicion  or  alarm,  as  it  was  a  precaution  always  ob 
served,  and  beckoned  to  the  peddler  and  the  Skinner  to 
follow.  A  short  walk  brought  them  to  a  spot  where  the 
hill  overhung  the  river,  the  ground  falling  nearly  per 
pendicularly  to  the  shore.  On  the  brow  of  the  eminence 
stood  a  deserted  and  dilapidated  barn.  Many  boards  of 
its  covering  were  torn  from  their  places,  and  its  wide 
doors  were  lying,  the  one  in  front  of  the  building,  and 
the  other  half-way  down  the  precipice,  whither  the  wind 
had  cast  it.  Entering  this  desolate  spot,  the  refugee 
officer  very  coolly  took  from  his  pocket  a  short  pipe, 
which,  from  long  use,  had  acquired  not  only  the  hue  but 
the  gloss  of  ebony,  a  tobacco-box,  and  a  small  roll  of 
leather,  that  contained  steel,  flint,  and  tinder.  With 
this  apparatus,  he  soon  furnished  his  mouth  with  a  com 
panion  that  habit  had  long  rendered  necessary  to  reflec 
tion.  So  soon  as  a  large  column  of  smoke  arose  from  this 
arrangement,  the  captain  significantly  held  forth  a  hand 
towards  his  assistant.  A  small  cord  was  produced  from 


400  THE   SPY 

the  pocket  of  the  sergeant,  and  handed  to  the  other.  The 
refugee  threw  out  vast  puffs  of  smoke,  until  nearly  all  of 
his  head  was  obscured,  and  looked  around  the  building 
with  an  inquisitive  eye.  At  length  he  removed  the  pipe, 
and  inhaling  a  draught  of  pure  air,  returned  it  to  its 
domicile,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  business.  A  heavy 
piece  of  timber  lay  across  the  girths  of  the  barn,  but  a 
little  way  from  the  southern  door,  which  opened  directly 
upon  a  full  view  of  the  river,  as  it  stretched  far  away 
towards  the  bay  of  New  York.  Over  this  beam  the 
refugee  threw  one  end  of  the  rope,  and,  regaining  it, 
joined  the  two  parts  in  his  hand.  A  small  and  weak 
barrel,  that  wanted  a  head,  the  staves  of  which  were 
loose,  and  at  one  end  standing  apart,  was  left  on  the 
floor,  probably  as  useless.  The  sergeant,  in  obedience  to 
a  look  from  his  officer,  placed  it  beneath  the  beam.  All 
of  these  arrangements  were  made  with  immovable  com 
posure,  and  they  now  seemed  completed  to  the  officer's 
perfect  satisfaction. 

"Come,"  he  said  coolly  to  the  Skinner,  who,  admiring 
the  preparations,  had  stood  a  silent  spectator  of  their 
progress.  He  obeyed;  and  it  was  not  until  he  found  hi_, 
neck-cloth  removed,  and  hat  thrown  aside,  that  he  took 
the  alarm.  But  he  had  so  often  resorted  to  a  similar 
expedient  to  extort  information,  or  plunder,  that  he  by 
no  means  felt  the  terror  an  unpracticed  man  would  have 
suffered  at  these  ominous  moments.  The  rope  was 
adjusted  to  his  neck  with  the  same  coolness  that  formed 
the  characteristic  of  the  whole  movement,  and  a  frag 
ment  of  board  being  laid  upon  the  barrel,  he  was  ordered 
to  mount. 

"But  it  may  fall,"  said  the  Skinner,  for  the  first  time 
beginning  to  tremble.  "I  will  tell  you  anything — even 
how  to  surprise  our  party  at  the  Pond,  without  all  this 
trouble,  and  it  is  commanded  by  my  own  brother." 

"I  want  no  information,"  returned  his  executioner 
(for  such  he  now  seemed  really  to  be),  throwing  the  rope 
repeatedly  over  the  beam,  first  drawing  it  tight  so  as  to 
annoy  the  Skinner  a  little,  and  then  casting  the  end  from 
him,  beyond  the  reach  of  any  one. 

"This  is  joking  too  far,"  cried  the  Skinner,  in  a  tone 


THE   SPY  401 

«#f  remonstrance,  and  raising  himself  on  his  toes,  with 
the  vain  hope  of  releasing  himself  from  the  cord  by  slip 
ping  his  head  through  the  noose.  But  the  caution  and 
experience  of  the  refugee  officer  had  guarded  against  this 
escape. 

"What  have  you  done  with  the  horse  you  stole  from 
me,  rascal?"  muttered  the  officer  of  the  Cow-Boys,  throw 
ing  out  columns  of  smoke  while  he  waited  for  a  reply. 

"He  broke  down  in  the  chase,"  replied  the  Skinner, 
quickly;  "but  I  can  tell  you  where  one  is  to  be  found 
that  is  worth  him  and  his  sire." 

"Liar!  I  will  help  myself  when  I  am  in  need;  you  had 
better  call  upon  God  for  aid,  as  your  hour  is  short. ' '  On 
concluding  this  consoling  advice,  he  struck  the  barrel  a 
violent  blow  with  his  heavy  foot,  and  the  slender  staves 
flew  in  every  direction,  leaving  the  Skinner  whirling  in 
the  air.  As  his  hands  were  unconfined,  he  threw  them 
upwards,  and  held  himself  suspended  by  main  strength. 

^Come,  captain, "he  said,  coaxingly,  a  little  huskiness 
creeping  into  his  voice,  and  his  knees  beginning  to  shake 
with  tremor,  "end  the  joke;  'tis  enough  to  make  a 
laugh,  and  my  arms  begin  to  tire — I  can't  hold  on  much 
longer." 

"Harkee,  Mr.  Peddler,"  said  the  refugee,  in  a  voice 
that  would  not  be  denied,  "I  want  not  your  company. 
Through  that  door  lies  your  road — march!  offer  to  touch 
that  dog,  and  you'll  swing  in  his  place,  though  twenty 
Sir  Henrys  wanted  your  services."  So  saying,  he  retired 
to  the  road  with  the  sergeant,  as  the  peddler  precipi 
tately  retreated  down  the  bank. 

Birch  went  no  farther  than  a  bush  that  opportunely 
offered  itself  as  a  screen  to  his  person,  while  he  yielded 
to  an  unconquerable  desire  to  witness  the  termination  of 
this  extraordinary  scene. 

Left  alone,  the  Skinner  began  to  throw  fearful  glances 
around  to  espy  the  hiding-places  of  his  tormentors.  For 
the  first  time  the  horrid  idea  seemed  to  shoot  through 
his  brain  that  something  serious  was  intended  by  the 
Cow-Boy.  He  called  entreatingly  to  be  released,  and 
made  rapid  and  incoherent  promises  of  important  in 
formation,  mingled  with  affected  pleasantry  at  their  con- 

23 


402  THE  SPY 

ceit,  which  he  would  hardly  admit  to  himself  could  mean 
anything  so  dreadful  as  it  seemed.  But  as  he  heard  the 
tread  of  the  horses  moving  on  their  course,  and  in  vain 
looked  around  for  human  aid,  violent  trembling  seized 
his  limbs,  and  his  eyes  began  to  start  from  his  head  with 
terror.  He  made  a  desperate  effort  to  reach  the  beam ; 
but,  too  much  exhausted  with  his  previous  exertions,  he 
caught  the  rope  in  his  teeth,  in  a  vain  effort  to  sever  the 
cord,  and  fell  to  the  whole  length  of  his  arms.  Here  his 
cries  were  turned  into  shrieks. 

"Help!  cut  the  rope!  captain! — Birch!  good  peddler! 
Down  with  the  Congress! — sergeant!  for  God's  sake, 
help!  Hurrah  for  the  king! — 0  God!  0  God! — mercy, 
mercy — mercy ! ' ' 

As  his  voice  became  suppressed,  one  of  his  hands 
endeavored  to  make  its  way  between  the  rope  and  his 
neck,  and  partially  succeeded;  but  the  other  fell  quivering 
by  his  side.  A  convulsive  shuddering  passed  over  his 
whole  frame,  and  he  hung  a  hideous  corpse. 

Birch  continued  gazing  on  this  scene  with  a  kind  of  in 
fatuation.  At  its  close  he  placed  his  hands  to  his  ears, 
and  rushed  towards  the  highway.  Still  the  cries  for 
mercy  rang  through  his  brain,  and  it  was  many  weeks 
before  his  memory  ceased  to  dwell  on  the  horrid  event. 
The  Cow-Boys  rode  steadily  on  their  route,  as  if  nothing 
had  occurred;  and  the  body  was  left  swinging  in  the 
wind,  until  chance  directed  the  footsteps  of  some  strag 
gler  to  the  place. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

"Green  be  the  turf  above  thee. 

Friend  of  my  better  days; 
None  knew  thee  but  to  love  thee. 
None  named  thee  but  to  praise." 

— HALLECK. 

WHILE  the  scenes  and  events  that  we  have  recorded 
were  occurring,  Captain  Lawton  led  his  small  party,  by 
slow  and  wary  marches,  from  the  Four  Corners  to  the 
front  of  a  body  of  the  enemy;  where  he  so  successfully 
manosuvred,  for  a  short  time,  as  completely  to  elude  all 
their  efforts  to  entrap  him,  and  yet  so  disguised  his  own 
force  as  to  excite  the  constant  apprehension  of  an  attack 
from  the  Americans.  This  forbearing  policy,  on  the  side 
of  the  partisan,  was  owing  to  positive  orders  received 
from  his  commander.  When  Dunwoodie  left  his  detach 
ment,  the  enemy  were  known  to  be  slowly  advancing,  and 
he  directed  Lawton  to  hover  around  them,  until  his  own 
return,  and  the  arrival  of  a  body  of  foot,  might  enable 
him  to  intercept  their  retreat. 

The  trooper  discharged  his  duty  to  the  letter,  but  with 
no  little  of  the  impatience  that  made  part  of  his  charac 
ter  when  restrained  from  the  attack. 

During  these  movements,  Betty  Flanagan  guided  her 
little  cart  with  indefatigable  zeal  among  the  rocks  of 
West-Chester,  now  discussing  with  the  sergeant  the 
nature  of  evil  spirits,  and  now  combating  with  the  sur 
geon  sundry  points  of  practice  that  were  hourly  rising 
between  them.  But  the  moment  at  length  arrived  that 
was  to  decide  the  temporary  mastery  of  the  field.  A 
detachment  of  the  eastern  militia  moved  out  from  their 
fastnesses,  and  approached  the  enemy. 

The  junction  between  Lawton  and  his  auxiliaries  was 
made  at  midnight,  and  an  immediate  consultation  was 
held  between  him  and  the  leader  of  the  foot-soldiers. 

403 


404  THE  SPY 

After  listening  to  the  statements  of  the  partisan,  who 
rather  despised  the  prowess  of  his  enemy,  the  command 
ant  of  the  party  determined  to  attack  the  British,  the 
moment  daylight  enabled  him  to  reconnoitre  their  posi 
tion,  without  waiting  for  the  aid  of  Dunwoodie  and  his 
horse.  So  soon  as  this  decision  was  made,  Lawton  re 
tired  from  the  building  where  the  consultation  was  held, 
and  rejoined  his  own  small  command. 

The  few  troopers  who  were  with  the  captain  had  fas 
tened  their  horses  in  a  spot  adjacent  to  a  haystack,  and 
laid  their  own  frames  under  its  shelter,  to  catch  a  few 
hours'  sleep.  But  Dr.  Sitgreaves,  Sergeant  Hollister, 
and  Betty  Flanagan  were  congregated  at  a  short  distance 
by  themselves,  having  spread  a  few  blankets  upon  the 
dry  surface  of  a  rock.  Lawton  threw  his  huge  frame  by 
the  side  of  the  surgeon,  and  folding  his  cloak  about  him, 
leaned  his  head  upon  one  hand,  and  appeared  deeply 
engaged  in  contemplating  the  moon  as  it  waded  through 
the  heavens.  The  sergeant  was  sitting  upright,  in  re 
spectful  deference  to  the  surgeon,  and  the  washerwoman 
was  now  raising  her  head,  in  order  to  vindicate  some  of 
her  favorite  maxims,  and  now  composing  it  on  one  of 
her  gin-casks,  in  a  vain  effort  to  sleep. 

"So,  sergeant,"  continued  Sitgreaves,  following  up  a 
previous  position,  "if  you  cut  upwards,  the  blow,  by 
losing  the  additional  momentum  of  your  weight,  will  be 
less  destructive,  and  at  the  same  time  effect  the  true  pur 
pose  of  war,  that  of  disabling  your  enemy." 

"Pooh!  pooh!  sergeant  dear,"  said  the  washerwoman, 
raising  her  head  from  the  blanket;  "where's  the  harm  of 
taking  a  life,  jist  in  the  way  of  battle?  Is  it  the  rig'lars 
who'll  show  favor,  and  they  fighting?  Ask  Captain  Jack 
there,  if  the  country  could  get  the  liberty,  and  the  boys 
no  strike  their  might.  I  wouldn't  have  them  disparage 
the  whiskey  so  much." 

"It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  an  ignorant  female  like 
yourself,  Mrs.  Flanagan,"  returned  the  surgeon,  with  a 
calmness  that  only  rendered  his  contempt  more  stinging 
to  Betty,  "can  comprehend  the  distinctions  of  surgical 
science;  neither  are  you  accomplished  in  the  sword  exer 
cise;  so  that  dissertations  upon  the  judicious  use  of  that 


THE   SPY  405 

weapon  could  avail  you  nothing  either  in  theory  or  in 
practice." 

"It's  but  little  I  care,  any  way,  for  such  botherment; 
but  fighting  is  no  play,  and  a  body  shouldn't  be  par- 
tic' lar  how  they  strike,  or  who  they  hit,  so  it's  the 
inimy." 

"Are  we  likely  to  have  a  warm  day,  Captain  Lawton?" 

"'Tis  more  than  probable,"  replied  the  trooper;  "these 
militia  seldom  fail  of  making  a  bloody  field,  either  by 
their  cowardice  or  their  ignorance,  and  the  real  soldier  is 
made  to  suffer  for  their  bad  conduct." 

"Are  you  ill,  John?"  said  the  surgeon,  passing  his 
hand  along  the  arm  of  the  captain,  until  it  instinctively 
settled  on  his  pulse;  but  the  steady,  even  beat  announced 
neither  bodily  nor  mental  malady. 

"Sick  at  heart,  Archibald,  at  the  folly  of  our  rulers,  in 
believing  that  battles  are  to  be  fought,  and  victories 
won,  by  fellows  who  handle  a  musket  as  they  would  a 
flail;  lads  who  wink  when  they  pull  a  trigger,  and  form 
a  line  like  a  hoop-pole.  The  dependence  we  place  on 
these  men  spills  the  best  blood  of  the  country." 

The  surgeon  listened  with  amazement.  It  was  not  the 
matter,  but  the  manner  that  surprised  him.  The  trooper 
had  uniformly  exhibited,  on  the  eve  of  battle,  an  anima 
tion,  and  an  eagerness  to  engage,  that  was  directly  at 
variance  with  the  admirable  coolness  of  his  manner  at 
other  times.  But  now  there  was  a  despondency  in  the 
tones  of  his  voice,  and  a  listlessness  in  his  air,  that  was 
entirely  different.  The  operator  hesitated  a  moment,  to 
reflect  in  what  manner  he  could  render  this  change  of 
service  in  furthering  his  favorite  system,  and  then 
continued: 

"It  would  be  wise,  John,  to  advise  the  colonel  to  keep 
at  long  shot;  a  spent  ball  will  disable — 

"No!"  exclaimed  the  trooper,  impatiently;  "let  the 
rascals  singe  their  whiskers  at  the  muzzles  of  the  British 
muskets,  if  they  can  be  driven  there.  But,  enough  of 
them.  Archibald,  do  you  deem  that  moon  to  be  a  world 
like  this,  containing  creatures  like  ourselves?" 

"Nothing  more  probable,  dear  John;  we  know  its  size, 
and,  reasoning  from  analogy,  may  easily  conjecture  its 


406  THE  SPY 

use.  Whether  or  not  its  inhabitants  have  attained  to 
that  perfection  in  the  sciences  which  we  have  acquired, 
must  depend  greatly  on  the  state  of  its  society,  and  in 
some  measure  upon  its  physical  influences." 

"I  care  nothing  about  their  learning,  Archibald;  but 
'tis  a  wonderful  power  that  can  create  such  worlds,  and 
control  them  in  their  wanderings.  I  know  not  why,  but 
there  is  a  feeling  of  melancholy  excited  within  me  as  I 
gaze  on  that  body,  shaded  as  it  is  by  your  fancied  sea 
and  land.  It  seems  to  be  the  resting-place  of  departed 
spirits!" 

"Take  a  drop,  darling,"  said  Betty,  raising  her  head 
once  more,  and  proffering  her  own  bottle;  "'tis  the  night 
damp  that  chills  the  blood — and  then  the  talk  with  the 
cursed  militia  is  no  good  for  a  fiery  temper.  Take  a 
drop,  darling,  and  ye'll  sleep  till  the  morning.  I  fed 
Roanoke  myself,  for  I  thought  ye  might  need  hard  riding 
the  morrow." 

"'Tis  a  glorious  heaven  to  look  upon,"  continued  the 
trooper,  in  the  same  tone,  disregarding  the  offer  of 
Betty,  "and  'tis  a  thousand  pities  that  such  worms  as 
men  should  let  their  vile  passions  deface  such  goodly 
work." 

"You  speak  the  truth,  dear  John;  there  is  room  for  all 
to  live  and  enjoy  themselves  in  peace,  if  each  could  be 
satisfied  with  his  own.  Still,  war  has  its  advantages;  it 
particularly  promotes  the  knowledge  of  surgery;  and — 

"There  is  a  star,"  continued  Lawton,  still  bent  on  his 
own  ideas,  "struggling  to  glitter  through  a  few  driving 
clouds;  perhaps  that  too  is  a  world,  and  contains  its 
creatures  endowed  with  reason  like  ourselves:  think  you 
that  they  know  of  war  and  bloodshed?" 

"If  I  might  be  so  bold,"  said  Sergeant  Hollister,  me 
chanically  raising  his  hand  to  his  cap,  "'tis  mentioned  in 
the  good  Book,  that  the  Lord  made  the  sun  to  stand  still 
while  Joshua  was  charging  the  enemy,  in  order,  sir,  as  I 
suppose,  that  they  might  have  daylight  to  turn  their 
flank,  or  perhaps  make  a  feint  in  the  rear,  or  some  such 
manoeuvre.  Now,  if  the  Lord  would  lend  them  a  hand, 
fighting  cannot  be  sinful.  I  have  often  been  nonplused, 
though,  to  find  that  they  used  them  chariots  instead  of 


THE   SPY  407 

heavy  dragoons,  who  are,  in  all  comparison,  better  to 
break  a  line  of  infantry,  and  who,  for  the  matter  of  that, 
could  turn  such  wheel-carriages,' and,  getting  into  the 
rear,  play  the  very  devil  with  them,  horse  and  all." 

"It  is  because  you  do  not  understand  the  construction 
of  those  ancient  vehicles,  Sergeant  Hollister,  that  you 
judge  of  them  so  erroneously,"  said  the  surgeon.  "They 
were  armed  with  sharp  weapons  that  protruded  from 
their  wheels,  and  which  broke  up  the  columns  of  foot, 
like  dismembered  particles  of  matter.  I  doubt  not  if 
similar  instruments  were  affixed  to  the  cart  of  Mrs. 
Flanagan,  that  great  confusion  might  be  carried  into  the 
ranks  of  the  enemy  thereby,  this  very  day. ' ' 

"It's  but  little  that  the  mare  would  go  and  the  rig'lar 
firing  at  her,"  grumbled  Betty,  from  under  her  blanket; 
"when  we  got  the  plunder,  the  time  we  drove  them 
through  the  Jarseys  it  was,  I  had  to  back  the  baste  up  to 
the  dead;  for  the  divil  the  foot  would  she  move,  fore- 
nent  the  firing,  wid  her  eyes  open.  Roanoke  and  Cap 
tain  Jack  are  good  enough  for  the  red-coats,  letting  alone 
myself  and  the  mare." 

A  long  roll  of  the  drums,  from  the  hill  occupied  by  the 
British,  announced  that  they  were  on  the  alert;  and  a 
corresponding  signal  was  immediately  heard  from  the 
Americans.  The  bugle  of  the  Virginians  struck  up  its 
martial  tones;  and  in  a  few  moments  both  the  hills,  the 
one  held  by  the  royal  troops,  and  the  other  by  their 
enemies,  were  alive  with  armed  men.  Day  had  begun  to 
dawn,  and  preparations  were  making  by  both  parties,  to 
give  and  to  receive  the  attack.  In  numbers  the  Ameri 
cans  had  greatly  the  advantage;  but  in  discipline  and 
equipments  the  superiority  was  entirely  with  their  ene 
mies.  The  arrangements  for  the  battle  were  brief,  and 
by  the  time  the  sun  had  risen  the  militia  moved  forward. 

The  ground  did  not  admit  of  the  movements  of  horse; 
and  the  only  duty  that  could  be  assigned  to  the  dragoons 
was  to  watch  the  moment  of  victory,  and  endeavor  to  im 
prove  the  success  to  the  utmost.  Lawton  soon  got  his 
warriors  into  the  saddle;  and  leaving  them  to  the  charge 
of  Hollister,  he  rode  himself  along  the  line  of  foot,  who 
in  varied  dresses,  and  imperfectly  armed,  were  formed  in 


408  THE   SPY 

a  shape  that  in  some  degree  resembled  a  martial  array. 
A  scornful  smile  lowered  about  the  lip  of  the  trooper  as 
he  guided  Roanoke  with  a  skilful  hand  through  the  wind 
ings  of  their  ranks;  and  when  the  word  was  given  to 
march,  he  turned  the  flank  of  the  regiment,  and  followed 
close  in  the  rear.  The  Americans  had  to  descend  into  a 
little  hollow,  and  rise  a  hill  on  its  opposite  side,  to  ap 
proach  the  enemy. 

The  descent  was  made  with  tolerable  steadiness,  until 
near  the  foot  of  the  hill,  when  the  royal  troops  advanced 
in  a  beautiful  line,  with  their  flanks  protected  by  the 
formation  of  the  ground.  The  appearance  of  the  British 
drew  a  fire  from  the  militia,  which  was  given  with  good 
effect,  and  for  a  moment  staggered  the  regulars.  But 
they  were  rallied  by  their  officers,  and  threw  in  volley 
after  volley  with  great  steadiness.  For  a  short  time  the 
fire  was  warm  and  destructive,  until  the  English  advanced 
with  the  bayonet.  This  assault  the  militia  had  not  suffi 
cient  discipline  to  withstand.  Their  line  wavered,  then 
paused,  and  finally  broke  into  the  companies  and  frag 
ments  of  companies,  keeping  up  at  the  same  time  a  scat 
tering  and  desultory  fire. 

Lawton  witnessed  these  operations  in  silence,  nor  did 
he  open  his  mouth  until  the  field  was  covered  with 
parties  of  the  flying  Americans.  Then,  indeed,  he  seemed 
stung  with  the  disgrace  thus  heaped  upon  the  arms  of  his 
country.  Spurring  Roanoke  along  the  side  of  the  hill, 
he  called  to  the  fugitives  in  all  the  strength  of  his  power 
ful  voice.  He  pointed  to  the  enemy,  and  assured  his 
countrymen  that  they  had  mistaken  the  way.  There  was 
such  a  mixture  of  indifference  and  irony  in  his  exhorta 
tions,  that  a  few  paused  in  surprise — more  joined  them, 
until,  roused  by  the  example  of  the  trooper,  and  stimu^ 
lated  by  their  own  spirit,  they  demanded  to  be  led 
against  their  foe  once  more. 

"Come  on,  then,  my  brave  friends!"  shouted  the 
trooper,  turning  his  horse's  head  towards  the  British 
line,  one  flank  of  which  was  very  near  him;  "come  on, 
and  hold  your  fire  until  it  will  scorch  their  eyebrows." 

The  men  sprang  forward,  and  followed  his  example, 
neither  giving  nor  receiving  a  fire  until  they  had  come 


THE   SPY  409 

within  a  very  short  distance  of  the  enemy.  An  English 
sergeant,  who  had  been  concealed  by  a  rock,  enraged 
with  the  audacity  of  the  officer  who  thus  dared  their 
arms,  stepped  from  behind  his  cover,  and  advancing 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  trooper,  levelled  his  musket. 

"Fire  and  you  die!"  cried  Lawton,  spurring  his 
charger,  which  leaped  forward  at  the  instant.  The 
action  and  the  tone  of  his  voice  shook  the  nerves  of  the 
Englishman,  who  drew  his  trigger  with  an  uncertain 
aim.  Roanoke  sprang  with  all  his  feet  from  the  earth, 
and,  plunging,  fell  headlong  and  lifeless  at  the  feet  of  his 
destroyer.  Lawton  kept  his  feet,  standing  face  to  face 
with  his  enemy.  The  latter  presented  his  bayonet,  and 
made  a  desperate  thrust  at  the  trooper's  heart.  The 
steel  of  their  weapons  emitted  sparks  of  fire,  and  the 
bayonet  flew  fifty  feet  in  the  air.  At  the  next  moment 
its  owner  lay  a  quivering  corpse. 

"Come  on!"  shouted  the  trooper,  as  a  body  of  English 
appeared  on  the  rock,  and  threw  in  a  close  fire;  "come 
on!"  he  repeated,  and  brandished  his  sabre  fiercely. 
Then  his  gigantic  form  fell  backward,  like  a  majestic 
pine  yielding  to  the  axe;  but  still,  as  he  slowly  fell,  he 
continued  to  wield  his  sabre,  and  once  more  the  deep 
tones  of  his  voice  were  heard  uttering,  "Come  on!" 

The  advancing  Americans  paused  aghast,  and,  turning, 
they  abandoned  the  field  to  the  royal  troops. 

It  was  neither  the  intention  nor  the  policy  of  the  Eng 
lish  commander  to  pursue  his  success,  for  he  well  knew 
that  strong  parties  of  the  Americans  would  soon  arrive; 
accordingly,  he  only  tarried  to  collect  his  wounded,  and 
forming  in  a  square,  he  commenced  his  retreat  towards 
the  shipping.  Within  twenty  minutes  of  the  fall  of 
Lawton,  the  ground  was  deserted  by  both  English  and 
Americans.  When  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  were 
called  upon  to  enter  the  field,  they  were  necessarily  at 
tended  by  such  surgical  advisers  as  were  furnished  by  the 
low  state  of  the  profession  in  the  interior  at  that  day. 
Dr.  Sitgreaves  entertained  quite  as  profound  a  contempt 
for  the  medical  attendants  of  the  militia  as  the  captain 
did  of  the  troops  themselves.  He  wandered,  therefore, 
around  the  field,  casting  many  a  glance  of  disapprobation 


410  THE   SPY 

at  the  slight  operations  that  came  under  his  eye;  but 
when,  among  the  flying  troops,  he  found  that  his  com 
rade  and  friend  was  nowhere  to  be  seen,  he  hastened  back 
to  the  spot  at  which  Hollister  was  posted,  to  inquire  if 
the  trooper  had  returned.  Of  course,  the  answer  was  in 
the  negative.  Filled  with  a  thousand  uneasy  conjectures, 
the  surgeon,  without  regarding,  or  indeed  without  at  all 
reflecting  upon  any  dangers  that  might  lie  in  his  way, 
strode  over  the  ground  at  an  enormous  rate,  to  the  point 
where  he  knew  the  final  struggle  had  been.  Once  be 
fore,  the  surgeon  had  rescued  his  friend  from  death  in  a 
similar  situation;  and  he  felt  a  secret  joy  in  his  own  con 
scious  skill,  as  he  perceived  Betty  Flanagan  seated  on  the 
ground,  holding  in  her  lap  the  head  of  a  man  whose  size 
and  dress  he  knew  could  belong  only  to  the  trooper.  As 
he  approached  the  spot,  the  surgeon  became  alarmed  at 
the  aspect  of  the  washerwoman.  Her  little  black  bonnet 
was  thrown  aside,  and  her  hair,  which  was  already 
streaked  with  gray,  hung  around  her  face  in  disorder. 

"John!  dear  John!"  said  the  doctor,  tenderly,  as  he 
bent  and  laid  his  hand  upon  the  senseless  wrist  of  the 
trooper,  from  which  it  recoiled  with  an  intuitive  knowl 
edge  of  his  fate;  "John!  dear  John!  where  are  you  hurt? 
— can  I  help  you?" 

"Ye  talk  to  the  senseless  clay,"  said  Betty,  rocking 
her  body,  and  unconsciously  playing  with  the  raven  ring 
lets  of  the  trooper's  hair;  "it's  no  more  will  he  hear,  and 
it's  but  little  will  he  mind  ye're  probes  and  ye're  med'- 
cines.  Och  hone,  och  hone! — and  where  will  be  the 
liberty  now?  or  who  will  there  be  to  fight  the  battle,  or 
gain  the  day?" 

"John,"  repeated  the  surgeon,  still  unwilling  to  believe 
the  evidence  of  his  unerring  senses,  "dear  John,  speak 
to  me;  say  what  you  will,  that  you  do  but  speak.  Oh, 
God!  he  is  dead;  would  that  I  had  died  with  him!" 

"There  is  but  little  use  in  living  and  fighting  now," 
said  Betty;  "both  him  and  the  baste!  see,  there  is  the 
poor  crature,  and  here  is  the  master!  I  fed  the  horse 
with  my  own  hands,  the  day;  and  the  last  male  that  he 
ate  was  of  my  own  cooking.  Och  hone!  och  hone! — that 
Captain  Jack  should  live  to  be  killed  by  the  rig'lars!" 


THE   SPY  411 

"John!  my  dear  John!"  said  the  surgeon,  with  con 
vulsive  sobs,  "thy  hour  has  come,  and  many  a  more  pru 
dent  man  survives  thee;  but  none  better,  nor  braver. 
Oh!  John,  thou  wert  to  me  a  kind  friend,  and  very  dear: 
it  is  unphilosophical  to  grieve;  but  for  thee,  John,  I  must 
weep,  even  in  the  bitterness  of  heart!" 

The  doctor  buried  his  face  in  his  hands,  and  for  several 
minutes  sat  yielding  to  an  ungovernable  burst  of  sorrow; 
while  the  washerwoman  gave  vent  to  her  grief  in  words, 
moving  her  body  in  a  kind  of  writhing,  and  playing  with 
different  parts  of  her  favorite's  dress  with  her  fingers. 

"And  who'll  there  be  to  encourage  the  boys  now?" 
she  said.  "Oh!  Captain  Jack!  ye  was  the  sowl  of  the 
troop,  and  it  was  but  little  we  knowed  of  the  danger,  and 
ye  fighting.  Och!  he  was  no  maly-mouthed,  that  quar 
relled  wid  a  widowed  woman  for  the  matter  of  a  burn  in 
the  mate,  or  the  want  of  a  breakfast.  Taste  a  drop, 
darling,  and  it  may  be,  'twill  revive  ye.  Och!  and  he'll 
never  taste  ag'in;  here's  the  doctor,  honey,  him  ye  used 
to  blarney  wid,  wapeing  as  if  the  poor  soul  would  die  for 
ye.  Och!  he's  gone,  he's  gone;  and  the  liberty  is  gone 
with  him." 

A  thundering  sound  of  horses'  feet  came  rolling  along 
the  road  which  led  near  the  place  where  Lawton  lay,  and 
directly  the  whole  body  of  Virginians  appeared,  with 
Dunwoodie  at  their  head.  The  news  of  the  captain's  fate 
had  reached  him,  for  the  instant  that  he  saw  the  body  he 
halted  the  squadron,  and,  dismounting,  approached  the 
spot.  The  countenance  of  Lawton  was  not  in  the  least 
disturbed,  but  the  angry  frown  which  had  lowered  over 
his  brow  during  the  battle  was  fixed  even  in  death.  His 
frame  was  composed,  and  stretched  as  in  sleep.  Dun 
woodie  took  hold  of  his  hand,  and  gazed  a  moment  in 
silence;  his  own  dark  eye  kindled,  and  the  paleness  which 
had  overspread  his  features  was  succeeded  by  a  spot  of 
deep  red  in  either  cheek. 

"With  his  own  sword  will  I  avenge  him!"  he  cried, 
endeavoring  to  take  the  weapon  from  the  hand  of  Law- 
ton;  but  the  grasp  resisted  his  utmost  strength.  "It 
shall  be  buried  with  him.  Sitgreaves,  take  care  of  our 
friend,  while  I  avenge  his  death." 


412  THE   SPY 

The  major  hastened  back  to  his  charger,  and  led  the 
way  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 

While  Dunwoodie  had  been  thus  engaged,  the  body  of 
Lawton  lay  in  open  view  of  the  whole  squadron.  He  was 
a  universal  favorite,  and  the  sight  inflamed  the  men  to 
the  utmost:  neither  officers  nor  soldiers  possessed  that 
coolness  which  is  necessary  to  insure  success  in  military 
operations;  but  they  spurred  ardently  after  their  ene 
mies,  burning  with  a  wish  for  vengeance. 

The  English  were  formed  in  a  hollow  square,  which 
contained  their  wounded,  who  were  far  from  numerous, 
and  were  marching  steadily  across  a  very  uneven  country 
as  the  dragoons  approached.  The  horse  charged  in  col 
umn,  and  were  led  by  Dunwoodie,  who,  burning  with 
revenge,  thought  to  ride  through  their  ranks,  and  scatter 
them  at  a  blow.  But  the  enemy  knew  their  own  strength 
too  well,  and,  standing  firm,  they  received  the  charge  on 
the  points  of  their  bayonets.  The  horses  of  the  Vir 
ginians  recoiled,  and  the  rear  rank  of  the  foot  throwing 
in  a  close  fire,  the  major,  with  a  few  men,  fell.  The 
English  continued  their  retreat  the  moment  they  were 
extricated  from  their  assailants;  and  Dunwoodie,  who 
was  severely,  but  not  dangerously  wounded,  recalled  his 
men  from  further  attempts,  which,  in  that  stony  coun 
try,  must  necessarily  be  fruitless. 

A  sad  duty  remained  to  be  fulfilled.  The  dragoons 
retired  slowly  through  the  hills,  conveying  their  wounded 
commander,  and  the  body  of  Lawton.  The  latter  they 
interred  under  the  ramparts  of  one  of  the  Highland 
forts,  and  the  former  they  consigned  to  the  tender  care 
of  his  afflicted  bride. 

Many  weeks  were  gone  before  the  major  was  restored 
to  sufficient  strength  to  be  removed.  During  those 
weeks,  how  often  did  he  bless  the  moment  that  gave  him 
a  right  to  the  services  of  his  beautiful  nurse !  She  hung 
around  his  couch  with  fond  attention;  administered  with 
her  own  hands  every  prescription  of  the  indefatigable 
Sitgreaves,  and  grew  each  hour  in  the  affections  and 
esteem  of  her  husband.  An  order  from  Washington  soon 
sent  the  troops  into  winter  quarters,  and  permission  was 
given  to  Dunwoodie  to  repair  to  his  own  plantation, 


THE   SPY  413 

with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  in  order  to  complete 
the  restoration  of  his  health.  Captain  Singleton  made 
one  of  the  party;  and  the  whole  family  retired  from  the 
active  scenes  of  the  war,  to  the  ease  and  plenty  of  the 
major's  own  estate.  Before  leaving  Fishkill,  however, 
letters  were  conveyed  to  them,  through  an  unknown 
hand,  acquainting  them  with  Henry's  safety  and  good 
health;  and  also  that  Colonel  Wellmere  had  left  the  con 
tinent  for  his  native  island,  lowered  in  the  estimation  of 
everv  honest  man  in  the  royal  army. 

It  was  a  happy  winter  for  Dunwoodie,  and  smiles  once 
began  to  play  around  the  lovely  mouth  of  Frances. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

'"Midst  furs,  and  silks,  and  jewels'  sheen, 
He  stood,  in  simple  Lincoln  green, 
The  centre  of  the  glittering  ring; 
And  Snowdon's  knight  is  Scotland's  king !" 

—LADY  OF  THE  LAKE. 

THE  commencement  of  the  following  year  was  passed, 
on  the  part  of  the  Americans,  in  making  great  prepara 
tions,  in  conjunction  with  their  allies,  to  bring  the  war 
to  a  close.  In  the  south,  Greene  and  Rawdon  made  a 
bloody  campaign,  that  was  highly  honorable  to  the  troops 
of  the  latter,  but  which,  by  terminating  entirely  to  the 
advantage  of  the  former,  proved  him  to  be  the  better 
general  of  the  two. 

New  York  was  the  point  that  was  threatened  by  the 
allied  armies;  and  Washington,  by  exciting  a  constant 
apprehension  for  the  safety  of  that  city,  prevented  such 
reinforcements  from  being  sent  to  Cornwall  is  as  would 
have  enabled  him  to  improve  his  success. 

At  length,  as  autumn  approached,  every  indication  was 
given  that  the  final  moment  had  arrived. 

The  French  forces  drew  near  to  the  royal  lines,  passing 
through  the  neutral  ground,  and  threatened  an  attack  in 
the  direction  of  King's  Bridge,  while  large  bodies  of 
Americans  were  acting  in  concert.  By  hovering  around 
the  British  posts,  and  drawing  nigh  in  the  Jerseys,  they 
seemed  to  threaten  the  royal  forces  from  that  quarter 
also.  The  preparations  partook  of  the  nature  of  both  a 
siege  and  a  storm.  But  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  in  the  pos 
session  of  intercepted  letters  from  Washington,  rested 
securely  within  his  lines,  and  cautiously  disregarded  the 
solicitations  of  Cornwallis  for  succor. 

It  was  at  the  close  of  a  stormy  day  in  the  month  of 
September,  that  a  large  assemblage  of  officers  was  col 
lected  near  the  door  of  a  building  that  was  situated  in 

414 


THE   SPY  415 

the  heart  of  the  American  troops,  who  held  the  Jerseys. 
The  age,  and  dress,  and  the  dignity  of  deportment  of 
most  of  these  warriors,  indicated  them  to  be  of  high 
rank;  but  to  one  in  particular  was  paid  a  deference  and 
obedience  that  announced  him  to  be  of  the  highest.  His 
dress  was  plain,  but  it  bore  the  usual  military  distinc 
tions  of  command.  He  was  mounted  on  a  noble  animal, 
of  a  deep  bay;  and  a  group  of  young  men,  in  gayer  attire, 
evidently  awaited  his  pleasure,  and  did  his  bidding. 
Many  a  hat  was  lifted  as  its  owner  addressed  this  officer; 
and  when  he  spoke,  a  profound  attention,  exceeding  the 
respect  of  mere  professional  etiquette,  was  exhibited  on 
every  countenance.  At  length  the  general  raised  his  own 
hat,  and  bowed  gravely  to  all  around  him.  The  salute 
was  returned,  and  the  party  dispersed,  leaving  the  officer 
without  a  single  attendant,  except  his  body-servants  and 
one  aide-de-camp.  Dismounting,  he  stepped  back:  a  few 
paces,  and  for  a  moment  viewed  the  condition  of  his 
horse  with  the  eye  of  one  who  well  understood  the  ani 
mal,  and  then,  casting  a  brief  but  expressive  glance  at 
his  aide,  he  retired  into  the  building,  followed  by  that 
gentleman. 

On  entering  an  apartment  that  was  apparently  fitted 
for  his  reception,  he  took  a  seat,  and  continued  for  a  long 
time  in  a  thoughtful  attitude,  like  one  in  the  habit  of 
communing  much  with  himself.  During  this  silence, 
the  aide-de-camp  stood  in  expectation  of  his  orders.  At 
length  the  general  raised  his  eyes,  and  spoke  in  those  low 
placid  tones  that  seemed  natural  to  him. 

"Has  the  man  whom  I  wished  to  see  arrived,  sir?" 
"He  waits  the  pleasure  of  your  excellency." 
"I  will  receive  him  here,  and  alone,  if  you  please." 
The  aide  bowed  and  withdrew.     In  a  few  minutes  the 
door  again  opened,  and  a  figure,  gliding  into  the  apart 
ment,  stood   modestly  at  a  distance  from  the  general, 
without   speaking.     His  entrance   was   unheard   by  the 
officer,  who  sat  gazing  at  the  fire,  still  absorbed  in  his 
own    meditations.     Several    minutes   passed,    when    he 
spoke  to  himself  in  an  undertone: 

"To-morrow  we  must  raise  the  curtain,  and  expose  our 
plans.  May  Heaven  prosper  them !" 


416  THE  SPY 

A  slight  movement  made  by  the  stranger  caught  his 
ear,  and  he  turned  his  head,  and  saw  that  he  was  not 
alone.  He  pointed  silently  to  the  fire,  towards  which 
the  figure  advanced,  although  the  multitude  of  his  gar 
ments,  which  seemed  more  calculated  for  disguise  than 
comfort,  rendered  its  warmth  unnecessary.  A  second 
mild  and  courteous  gesture  motioned  to  a  vacant  chair, 
but  the  stranger  refused  it  with  a  modest  acknowledg 
ment.  Another  pause  followed,  and  continued  for  some 
time.  At  length  the  officer  arose,  and  opening  a  desk 
that  was  laid  upon  the  table  near  which  he  sat,  took 
from  it  a  small,  but  apparently  heavy  bag. 

"Harvey  Birch,"  he  said,  turning  to  the  stranger, 
"the  time  has  arrived  when  our  connection  must  cease; 
henceforth  and  forever  we  must  be  strangers." 

The  peddler  dropped  the  folds  of  the  great-coat  that 
concealed  his  features,  and  gazed  for  a  moment  earnestly 
at  the  face  of  the  speaker;  then  dropping  his  head  upon 
his  bosom,  he  said,  meekly: 

"If  it  be  your  excellency's  pleasure." 

"It  is  necessary.  Since  I  have  filled  the  station  which 
I  now  hold,  it  has  become  my  duty  to  know  many  men, 
who,  like  yourself,  have  been  my  instruments  in  procur 
ing  intelligence.  You  have  I  trusted  more  than  all;  1 
early  saw  in  you  a  regard  to  truth  and  principle,  that,  1 
am  pleased  to  say,  has  never  deceived  me — you  alone 
know  my  secret  agents  in  the  city,  and  on  your  fidelity 
depend,  not  only  their  fortunes,  but  their  lives." 

He  paused,  as  if  to  reflect  in  order  that  full  justice 
might  be  done  to  the  peddler,  and  then  continued: 

"I  believe  you  are  one  of  the  very  few  that  I  have  em 
ployed  who  have  acted  faithfully  to  our  cause;  and,  while 
you  have  passed  as  a  spy  of  the  enemy,  have  never  giver 
intelligence  that  you  were  not  permitted  to  divulge.  Tc 
me,  and  to  me  only  of  all  the  world,  you  seem  to  have 
acted  with  a  strong  attachment  to  the  liberties  oi 
America." 

During  this  address,  Harvey  gradually  raised  his  heac 
from  his  bosom,  until  it  reached  the  highest  point  ol 
elevation;  a  faint  tinge  gathered  in  his  cheeks,  and,  as 
the  officer  concluded,  it  was  diffused  over  his  whole  coun> 


THE   SPY  41^ 

tenance  in  a  deep  glow,  while  he  stood  proudly  swelling 
with  his  emotions,  but  with  eyes  that  modestly  soughi 
the  feet  of  the  speaker. 

"It  is  now  my  duty  to  pay  you  for  these  services;  hith 
erto  you  have  postponed  receiving  your  reward,  and  th( 
debt  has  become  a  heavy  one — I  wish  not  to  undervalu* 
your  dangers;  here  are  a  hundred  doubloons;  you  wil 
remember  the  poverty  of  our  country,  and  attribute  to  i 
the  smallness  of  your  pay." 

The  peddler  raised  his  eyes  to  the  countenance  of  th< 
speaker;  but,  as  the  other  held  forth  the  money,  h< 
moved  back,  as  if  refusing  the  bag. 

"It  is  not  much  for  your  services  and  risks,  I  acknowl 
edge,"  continued  the  general,  "but  it  is  all  that  I  have 
to  offer;  at  the  end  of  the  campaign,  it  may  be  in  m? 
power  to  increase  it." 

"Does  your  excellency  think  that  I  have  exposed  mj 
life,  and  blasted  my  character,  for  money?" 

"If  not  for  money, 'what  .then?" 

"What  has  brought  your  excellency  into  the  field?  Fo: 
what  do  you  daily  and  hourly  expose  your  precious  life  t< 
battle  and  the  halter?  What  is  there  about  me  to  mourn 
when  such  men  as  you  risk  their  all  for  our  country' 
No,  no,  no — not  a  dollar  of  your  gold  will  I  touch;  poo: 
America  has  need  of  it  all!" 

The  bag  dropped  from  the  hand  of  the  officer,  and  fel 
at  the  feet  of  the  peddler,  where  it  lay  neglected  durinj 
the  remainder  of  the  interview.  The  officer  looked  stead 
ily  at  the  face  of  his  companion,  and  continued: 

"There  are  many  motives  which  might  govern  me,  tha 
to  you  are  unknown.  Our  situations  are  different;  Ian 
known  as  the  leader  of  armies — but  you  must  descent 
into  the  grave  with  the  reputation  of  a  foe  to  you 
native  land.  Remember  that  the  veil  which  conceal 
your  true  character  cannot  be  raised  in  years — perhap 
never. ' ' 

Birch  again  lowered  his  face,  but  there  was  no  yield 
ing  of  the  soul  in  the  movement. 

"You  will  soon  be  old;  the  prime  of  your  days  i 
already  past;  what  have  you  to  subsist  on?" 

27 


418  THE  SPY 

"These!"  said  the  peddler,  stretching  forth  his  hands, 
that  were  already  embrowned  with  toil. 

"But  those  may  fail  you;  take  enough  to  secure  a  sup 
port  to  your  age.  Remember  your  risks  and  cares.  I 
have  told  you  that  the  characters  of  men  who  are  much 
esteemed  in  life  depend  on  your  secrecy;  what  pledge  can 
I  give  them  of  your  fidelity?" 

"Tell  them,"  said  Birch,  advancing  and  unconsciously 
resting  one  foot  on  the  bag,  "tell  them  that  I  would  not 
take  the  gold!" 

The  composed  features  of  the  officer  relaxed  into  a 
smile  of  benevolence,  and  he  grasped  the  hand  of  the 
peddler  firmly. 

"Now,  indeed,  I  know  you;  and  although  the  same 
reasons  which  have  hitherto  compelled  me  to  expose  your 
valuable  life  will  still  exist,  and  prevent  my  openly 
asserting  your  character,  in  private  I  can  always  be  your 
friend;  fail  not  to  apply  to  me  when  in  want  or  suffer 
ing,  and  so  long  as  God  giveth  to  me,  so  long  will  I  freely 
share  with  a  man  who  feels  so  nobly  and  acts  so  well.  If 
sickness  or  want  should  ever  assail  you,  and  peace  once 
more  smile  upon  our  efforts,  seek  the  gate  of  him  whom 
you  have  so  often  met  as  Harper,  and  he  will  not  blush 
to  acknowledge  you  in  his  true  character." 

"It  is  little  that  I  need  in  this  life,"  said  Harvey;  "so 
long  as  God  gives  me  health  and  honest  industry,  I  can 
never  want  in  this  country;  but  to  know  that  your  excel 
lency  is  my  friend,  is  a  blessing  that  I  prize  more  than 
all  the  gold  of  England's  treasury." 

The  officer  stood  for  a  few  moments  in  the  attitude  of 
intense  thought.  He  then  drew  to  him  the  desk,  and 
wrote  a  few  lines  on  a  piece  of  paper,  and  gave  it  to  the 
peddler. 

"That  Providence  destines  this  country  to  some  great 
and  glorious  fate  I  must  believe,  while  I  witness  the 
patriotism  that  pervades  the  bosoms  of  her  lowest  citi 
zens,"  he  said.  "It  must  be  dreadful  to  a  mind  like 
yours  to  descend  into  the  grave,  branded  as  a  foe  to  lib 
erty;  but  you  already  know  the  lives  that  would  be  sacri 
ficed,  should  your  real  character  be  revealed.  It  is 
impossible  to  do  you  justice  now,  but  I  fearlessly  entrust 


THE   SPY  419 

you  with  this  certificate;  should  we  never  meet  again,  it 
may  be  serviceable  to  your  children." 

"Children!"  exclaimed  the  peddler,  "can  I  give  to  a 
family  the  infamy  of  my  name?" 

The  officer  gazed  at  the  strong  emotion  he  exhibited 
with  pain,  and  he  made  a  slight  movement  towards  the 
gold;  but  it  was  arrested  by  the  expression  of  his  com 
panion's  face.  Harvey  saw  the  intention,  and  shook  his 
head,  as  he  continued  more  mildly: 

"It  is,  indeed,  a  treasure  that  your  excellency  gives 
me:  it  is  safe,  too.  There  are  men  living  who  could  say 
that  my  life  was  nothing  to  me,  compared  to  your 
secrets.  The  paper  that  I  told  you  was  lost  I  swallowed 
when  taken  last  by  the  Virginians.  It  was  the  only  time 
I  ever  deceived  your  excellency,  and  it  shall  be  the  last; 
yes,  this  is,  indeed,  a  treasure  to  me;  perhaps,"  he  con 
tinued,  with  a  melancholy  smile,  "it  may  be  known  after 
my  death  who  was  my  friend;  but  if  it  should  not,  there 
are  none  to  grieve  for  me." 

"Remember,"  said  the  officer,  with  strong  emotion, 
"that  in  me  you  will  always  have  a  secret  friend;  but 
openly  I  cannot  know  you." 

"I  know  it,  I  know  it,"  said  Birch;  "I  knew  it  when  I 
took  the  service.  'Tis  probably  the  last  time  that  I  shall 
ever  see  your  excellency.  May  God  pour  down  His 
choicest  blessings  on  your  head!"  He  paused,  and 
moved  towards  the  door.  The  officer  followed  him  with 
eyes  that  expressed  deep  interest.  Once  more  the  ped 
dler  turned,  and  seemed  to  gaze  on  the  placid,  but  com 
manding  features  of  the  general  with  regret  and  reverence, 
and  then,  bowing  low,  he  withdrew. 

The  armies  of  America  and  France  were  led  by  their 
illustrious  commander  against  the  enemy  under  Corn- 
wallis,  and  terminated  a  campaign  in  triumph  that  had 
commenced  in  difficulties.  Great  Britain  soon  after  be 
came  disgusted  with  the  war;  and  the  independence  of 
the  States  was  acknowledged. 

As  years  rolled  by,  it  became  a  subject  of  pride  among 
the  different  actors  in  the  war,  and  their  descendants,  to 
boast  of  their  efforts  in  the  cause  which  had  confessedly 
heaped  so  many  blessings  upon  their  country;  but  the 


420  THE   SPY 

name  of  Harvey  Birch  died  away  among  the  multitude  of 
agents,  who  were  thought  to  have  labored  in  secret 
against  the  rights  of  their  countrymen.  His  image, 
however,  was  often  present  to  the  mind  of  the  powerful 
chief,  who  alone  knew  his  true  character;  and  several 
times  did  he  cause  secret  inquiries  to  be  made  into  the 
other's  fate,  one  of  which  only  resulted  in  any  success. 
By  this  he  learned  that  a  peddler  of  a  different  name,  but 
similar  appearance,  was  toiling  through  the  new  settle 
ments  that  were  springing  up  in  every  direction,  and 
that  he  was  struggling  with  the  advance  of  years  and 
apparent  poverty.  Death  prevented  further  inquiries  on 
the  part  of  the  officer,  and  a  long  period  passed  before  he 
was  again  heard  of. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

"Some  village  Hampden,  that  with  dauntless  breast 

The  little  tyrant  of  his  fields  withstood— 
Some  mute,  inglorious  Milton  here  may  rest; 
Some  Cromwell,  guiltless  of  his  country's  blood." 

—GRAY. 

IT  was  thirty-three  years  after  the  interview  which  we 
have  just  related  that  an  American  army  was  once  more 
arrayed  against  the  troops  of  England;  but  the  scene  was 
transferred  from  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  to  those  of  the 
Niagara. 

The  body  of  Washington  had  long  lain  mouldering  in 
the  tomb;  but  as  time  was  fast  obliterating  the  slight  im 
pressions  of  political  enmity  or  personal  envy,  his  name 
was  hourly  receiving  new  lustre,  and  his  worth  and 
integrity  each  moment  became  more  visible,  not  only  to 
his  countrymen,  but  to  the  world.  He  was  already  the 
acknowledged  hero  of  an  age  of  reason  and  truth;  and 
many  a  young  heart,  amongst  those  who  formed  the  pride 
of  our  army  in  1814,  was  glowing  with  the  recollection 
of  the  one  great  name  of  America,  and  inwardly  beating 
with  the  sanguine  expectation  of  emulating,  in  some 
degree,  its  renown.  In  no  one  were  these  virtuous  hopes 
more  vivid  than  in  the  bosom  of  a  young  officer  who 
stood  on  the  table-rock,  contemplating  the  great  cataract, 
on  the  evening  of  the  25th  of  July  of  that  bloody  year. 
The  person  of  this  youth  was  tall  and  finely  moulded, 
indicating  a  just  proportion  between  strength  and  activ 
ity;  his  deep  black  eyes  were  of  a  searching  and  dazzling 
brightness.  At  times,  as  they  gazed  upon  the  flood  of 
waters  that  rushed  tumultuously  at  his  feet,  there  was  a 
stern  and  daring  look  that  flashed  from  them,  which 
denoted  the  ardor  of  an  enthusiast.  But  this  proud 
expression  was  softened  by  the  lines  of  a  mouth  around 
which  there  played  a  suppressed  archness,  that  partook 
of  feminine  beauty.  His  hair  shone  in  the  setting  sun 

421 


422  THE   SPY 

like  ringlets  of  gold,  as  the  air  from  the  falls  gently 
moved  the  rich  curls  from  a  forehead  whose  whiteness 
showed  that  exposure  and  heat  alone  had  given  their 
darker  hue  to  a  face  glowing  with  health.  There  was 
another  officer  standing  by  the  side  of  this  favored 
youth;  and  both  seemed,  by  the  interest  they  betrayed, 
to  be  gazing,  for  the  first  time,  at  the  wonder  of  the 
western  world.  A  profound  silence  was  observed  by 
each,  until  the  companion  of  the  officer  that  we  have  de 
scribed  suddenly  started,  and  pointing  eagerly  with  his 
sword  into  the  abyss  beneath,  exclaimed: 

"See,  Wharton!  there  is  a  man  crossing  in  the  very 
eddies  of  the  cataract,  and  in  a  skiff  no  bigger  than  an 
egg-shell." 

"He  has  a  knapsack — it  is  probably  a  soldier,"  re 
turned  the  other.  "Let  us  meet  him  at  the  ladder, 
Mason,  and  learn  his  tidings." 

Some  time  was  expended  in  reaching  the  spot  where 
the  adventurer  was  intercepted.  Contrary  to  the  ex 
pectations  of  the  young  soldiers,  he  proved  to  be  a  man 
far  advanced  in  life,  and  evidently  no  follower  of  the 
camp.  His  years  might  be  seventy,  and  they  were  indi 
cated  more  by  the  thin  hairs  of  silver  that  lay  scattered 
over  his  wrinkled  brow,  than  by  any  apparent  failure  of 
his  system.  His  frame  was  meagre  and  bent;  but  it  was 
the  attitude  of  habit,  for  his  sinews  were  strung  with  the 
toil  of  half  a  century.  His  dress  was  mean,  and  mani 
fested  the  economy  of  its  wonder,  by  the  number  and 
nature  of  its  repairs.  On  his  back  was  a  scantily  fur 
nished  pack,  that  had  led  to  the  mistake  in  his  profession. 
A  few  words  of  salutation,  and,  on  the  part  of  the  young 
men,  of  surprise,  that  one  so  aged  should  venture  so  near 
the  whirlpools  of  the  cataract,  were  exchanged;  when  the 
old  man  inquired,  with  a  voice  that  began  to  manifest 
the  tremor  of  age,  the  news  from  the  contending  armies. 

"We  whipped  the  red-coats  here  the  other  day,  among 
the  grass  on  the  Chippewa  plains,"  said  the  one  who  was 
called  Mason;  "since  when,  we  have  been  playing  hide- 
and-go-seek  with  the  ships:  but  we  are  now  marching 
back  from  where  we  started,  shaking  our  heads,  and  as 
surly  as  the  devil." 


THE   SPY  423 

"Perhaps  you  have  a  son  among  the  soldiers,"  said  his 
companion,  with  a  milder  demeanor,  and  an  air  of  kind 
ness;  "if  so,  tell  me  his  name  and  regiment,  and  I  will 
take  you  to  him." 

The  old  man  shook  his  head,  and,  passing  his  hand  over 
his  silver  locks,  with  an  air  of  meek  resignation,  he 
answered : 

"No;  I  am  alone  in  the  world!" 

"You  should  have  added,  Captain  Dunwoodie, "  cried 
his  careless  comrade,  "if  you  could  find  either;  for  nearly 
half  our  army  has  marched  down  the  road,  and  may  be, 
by  this  time,  under  the  walls  of  Fort  George,  for  anything 
that  we  know  to  the  contrary. ' ' 

The  old  man  stopped  suddenly,  and  looked  earnestly 
from  one  of  his  companions  to  the  other;  the  action 
being  observed  by  the  soldiers,  they  paused  also. 

"Did  I  hear  right?"  the  stranger  uttered,  raising  his 
hand  to  screen  his  eyes  from  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun; 
"what  did  he  call  you?" 

"My  name  is  Wharton  Dunwoodie,"  replied  the  youth, 
smiling. 

The  stranger  motioned  silently  for  him  to  remove  his 
hat,  which  the  youth  did  accordingly,  and  his  fair  hair 
blew  aside  like  curls  of  silk,  and  opened  the  whole  of  his 
ingenuous  countenance  to  the  inspection  of  the  other. 

"'Tis  like  our  native  land!"  exclaimed  the  old  man 
with  vehemence,  "improving  with  time;  God  has  blessed 
both." 

"Why  do  you  stare  thus,  Lieutenant  Mason?"  cried 
Captain  Dunwoodie,  laughing  a  little;  "you  show  more 
astonishment  than  when  you  saw  the  falls. ' ' 

"Oh,  the  falls! — they  are  a  thing  to  be  looked  at  on  a 
moonshiny  night,  by  your  Aunt  Sarah  and  that  gay  old 
bachelor,  Colonel  Singleton;  but  a  fellow  like  myself 
never  shows  surprise,  unless  it  may  be  at  such  a  touch  as 
this." 

The  extraordinary  vehemence  of  the  stranger's  manner 
had  passed  away  as  suddenly  as  it  was  exhibited,  but  he 
listened  to  this  speech  with  deep  interest,  while  Dun 
woodie  replied,  a  little  gravely: 

"Come,  come,  Tom,  no  jokes  about  my  good  aunt,  I 


424  THE   SPY 

beg;  she  is  kindness  itself,  and  I  have  heard  it  whispered 
that  her  youth  was  not  altogether  happy. ' ' 

"Why,  as  to  rumor,"  said  Mason,  "there  goes  one  in 
Accomac,  that  Colonel  Singleton  offers  himself  to  her 
regularly  every  Valentine's  Day;  and  there  are  some  who 
add  that  your  old  great-aunt  helps  his  suit. ' ' 

"Aunt  Jeanette!"  said  Dunwoodie,  laughing;  "dear 
good  soul,  she  thinks  but  little  of  marriage  in  any  shape, 
I  believe,  since  the  death  of  Dr.  Sitgreaves.  There  were 
some  whispers  of  a  courtship  between  them  formerly,  but 
it  ended  in  nothing  but  civilities,  and  I  suspect  that  the 
whole  story  arises  from  the  intimacy  of  Colonel  Singleton 
and  my  father.  You  know  they  were  comrades  in  the 
horse,  as  indeed  was  your  own  father. ' ' 

"I  know  all  that,  of  course;  but  you  must  not  tell  me 
that  the  particular,  prim  bachelor  goes  so  often  to  Gen 
eral  Dunwoodie's  plantation  merely  for  the  sake  of  talk 
ing  old  soldier  with  your  father.  The  last  time  I  was 
there,  that  yellow,  sharp-nosed  housekeeper  of  your 
mother's  took  me  into  the  pantry,  and  said  that  the 
colonel  was  no  despisable  match,  as  she  called  it,  and 
how  the  sale  of  his  plantation  in  Georgia  had  brought 
him — oh,  Lord!  I  don't  know  how  much." 

"Quite  likely,"  returned  the  captain;  "Katy  Haynes  is 
no  bad  calculator." 

They  had  stopped  during  this  conversation,  in  uncer 
tainty  whether  their  new  companion  was  to  be  left  or 
not. 

The  old  man  listened  to  each  word  as  it  was  uttered, 
with  the  most  intense  interest;  but,  towards  the  conclu 
sion  of  the  dialogue,  the  earnest  attention  of  his  counte 
nance  changed  to  a  kind  of  inward  smile.  He  shook  his 
head,  and,  passing  his  hands  over  his  forehead  seemed  to 
be  thinking  of  other  times.  Mason  paid  but  little  atten 
tion  to  the  expression  of  his  features,  and  continued: 

"To  me,  she  is  selfishness  embodied!" 

"Her  selfishness  does  but  little  harm,"  returned  Dun 
woodie.  "One  of  her  greatest  difficulties  is  her  aversion 
to  the  blacks.  She  says  that  she  never  saw  but  one  that 
she  liked." 

"And  who  was  he?" 


THE   SPY  425 

'His  name  was  Caesar;  he  was  a  house-servant  of  my 
lav?  grandfather  Wharton.  You  don't  remember  him,  I 
believe;  he  died  the  same  year  with  his  master,  while  we 
were  children.  Katy  yearly  sings  his  requiem,  and, 
upon  my  word,  I  believe  he  deserved  it.  I  have  heard 
something  of  his  helping  my  English  uncle,  as  we  call 
General  Wharton,  in  some  difficulty  that  occurred  in  the 
old  war.  My  mother  always  speaks  of  him  with  great 
affection.  Both  Caesar  and  Katy  came  to  Virginia  with 
my  mother  when  she  married.  My  mother  was — 

"An  angel!"  interrupted  the  old  man,  in  a  voice  that 
startled  the  young  soldiers  by  its  abruptness  and  energy. 

"Did  you  know  her?"  cried  the  son,  with  a  glow  of 
pleasure  on  his  cheek. 

The  reply  of  the  stranger  was  interrupted  by  sudden 
and  heavy  explosions  of  artillery,  which  were  imme 
diately  followed  by  continued  volleys  of  small-arms,  and 
in  a  few  minutes  the  air  was  filled  with  the  tumult  of  a 
warm  and  well-contested  battle. 

The  two  soldiers  hastened  with  precipitation  towards 
the  camp,  accompanied  by  their  new  acquaintance.  The 
excitement  and  anxiety  created  by  the  approaching  fight 
prevented  a  continuance  of  the  conversation,  and  the 
three  held  their  way  to  the  army,  making  occasional  con 
jectures  on  the  cause  of  the  fire,  and  the  probability  of  a 
general  engagement.  During  their  short  and  hurried 
walk,  Captain  Dunwoodie,  however,  threw  several  friendly 
glances  at  the  old  man,  who  moved  over  the  ground  with 
astonishing  energy  for  his  years,  for  the  heart  of  the 
youth  was  warmed  by  an  eulogium  on  a  mother  that  he 
adored.  In  a  short  time  they  joined  the  regiment  to 
which  the  officers  belonged,  when  the  captain,  squeezing 
the  stranger's  hand,  earnestly  begged  that  he  would  make 
inquiries  after  him  on  the  following  morning,  and  that 
he  might  see  him  in  his  own  tent.  Here  they  separated. 

Everything  in  the  American  camp  announced  an  ap 
proaching  struggle.  At  a  distance  of  a  few  miles,  the 
sound  of  cannon  and  musketry  was  heard  above  the  roar 
of  the  cataract.  The  troops  were  soon  in  motion,  and  a 
movement  made  to  support  the  division  of  the  army 
which  was  already  engaged.  Night  had  set  in  before  the 


426  THE   SPY 

reserve  and  irregulars  reached  the  foot  of  Lundy's  Lane, 
a  road  that  diverged  from  the  river  and  crossed  a  conical 
eminence,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  Niagara  high 
way.  The  summit  of  this  hill  was  crowned  with  the  can 
non  of  the  British,  and  in  the  flat  beneath  was  the  rem 
nant  of  Scott's  gallant  brigade,  which  for  a  long  time 
had  held  an  unequal  contest  with  distinguished  bravery. 
A  new  line  was  interposed,  and  one  column  of  the  Ameri 
cans  directed  to  charge  up  the  hill,  parallel  to  the  road. 
This  column  took  the  English  in  flank,  and,  bayoneting 
their  artillerists,  gained  possession  of  the  cannon.  They 
were  immediately  joined  by  their  comrades,  and  the 
enemy  was  swept  from  the  hill.  But  large  reinforce 
ments  were  joining  the  English  general  momentarily,  and 
their  troops  were  too  brave  to  rest  easy  under  the  defeat. 
Repeated  and  bloody  charges  were  made  to  recover  the 
guns,  but  in  all  they  were  repulsed  with  slaughter. 
During  the  last  of  these  struggles,  the  ardor  of  the  youth 
ful  captain  whom  we  have  mentioned  urged  him  to  lead 
his  men  some  distance  in  advance,  to  scatter  a  daring 
party  of  the  enemy.  He  succeeded,  but  in  returning  to 
the  line  missed  his  lieutenant  from  the  station  that  he 
ought  to  have  occupied.  Soon  after  this  repulse,  which 
was  the  last,  orders  were  given  to  the  scattered  troops 
to  return  to  the  camp.  The  British  were  nowhere  to  be 
seen,  and  preparations  were  made  to  take  in  such  of  the 
wounded  as  could  be  moved.  At  this  moment  Wharton 
Dunwoodie,  impelled  by  affection  for  his  friend,  seized  a 
lighted  fusee,  and  taking  two  of  his  men  went  himself 
in  quest  of  his  body,  where  he  was  supposed  to  have 
fallen.  Mason  was  found  on  the  side  of  the  hill,  seated 
with  great  composure  but  unable  to  walk  from  a  frac 
tured  leg.  Dunwoodie  saw  and  flew  to  the  side  of  his 
comrade,  exclaiming: 

"Ah!  dear  Tom,  I  knew  I  should  find  you  the  nearest 
man  to  the  enemy. ' ' 

"Softly,  softly;  handle  me  tenderly,"  replied  the 
lieutenant;  "no,  there  is  a  brave  fellow  still  nearer  than 
myself,  and  who  he  can  be  I  know  not.  He  rushed  out  of 
our  smoke,  near  my  platoon,  to  make  a  prisoner  or  some 
such  thing,  but,  poor  fellow,  he  never  came  back;  there 


THE  SPY  427 

he  lies  just  over  the  hillock.  I  have  spoken  to  him  sev 
eral  times,  but  I  fancy  he  is  past  answering." 

Dunwoodie  went  to  the  spot,  and  to  his  astonishment 
beheld  the  aged  stranger. 

"It  is  the  old  man  who  knew  my  mother!"  cried  the 
youth;  "for  her  sake  he  shall  have  honorable  burial;  lift 
him,  and  let  him  be  carried  in;  his  bones  shall  rest  on 
native  soil." 

The  men  approached  to  obey.  He  was  lying  en  his 
back,  with  his  face  exposed  to  the  glaring  light  of  the 
fusee;  his  eyes  were  closed,  as  if  in  slumber;  his  lips, 
sunken  with  years,  were  slightly  moved  from  their  natural 
position,  but  it  seemed  more  like  a  smile  than  a  convul 
sion  which  had  caused  the  change.  A  soldier's  musket 
lay  near  him;  his  hands  were  pressed  upon  his  breast,  and 
one  of  them  contained  a  substance  that  glittered  like 
silver.  Dunwoodie  stooped,  and  removing  the  limbs, 
perceived  the  place  where  the  bullet  had  found  a  passage 
to  his  heart.  The  subject  of  his  last  care  was  a  tin  box, 
through  which  the  fatal  lead  had  gone;  and  the  dying 
moments  of  the  old  man  must  have  passed  in  drawing  it 
from  his  bosom.  Dunwoodie  opened  it,  and  found  a 
paper  in  which,  to  his  astonishment,  he  read  the  fol 
lowing: 

"Circumstances  of  political  importance,  which  involve 
the  lives  and  fortunes  of  many,  have  hitherto  kept  secret 
what  this  paper  now  reveals.  Harvey  Birch  has  for  years 
been  a  faithful  and  unrequited  servant  of  his  country. 
Though  man  does  not,  may  God  reward  him  for  his  con 
duct!  GEO.  WASHINGTON." 

It  was  the  SPY  OF  THE  NEUTRAL  GROUND,  who  died  as 
he  had  lived,  devoted  to  his  country,  and  a  martyr  to  her 
liberties. 


A     000  569  487     2 


